Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 2 : Former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes highlighted the importance of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for 2027 ODI World Cup, noting the 'Hitman's experience at the tournament and Virat's hunger which makes him an "ultimate finisher".
Jonty, one of the best fielders ever to play the game, has stepped into a new role as the co-owner of the Rotterdam Dockers in the inaugural season of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL). 
Speaking to JioStar, Rhodes weighed in on what makes Virat Kohli special, why Team India will benefit from Rohit Sharma's experience at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, and his favourite cricketing memory.
On Rohit's importance, Jonty said that during World Cups, while looking after one self physically and the talent/performances are important factors, the experience of being a part of something as high pressure as a World Cup is also just as important, which makes Rohit an "asset".
"You have got to remember that having experience at a World Cup is another factor that we don't factor in. We look at the talent of the players, the ability that they have got and their performances. Maybe they have had a great knock and had a good season. But when it comes down to pressure moments, a World Cup is very much high pressure," he said.
"Players can look after themselves physically, but that mental strength is something that we do not often factor in when it comes to selection. But as somebody who has played in four Cricket World Cups without getting past two semi-finals, I know how stressful it can become. So having someone like Rohit Sharma in your squad is such an asset at a World Cup," he added.
Rohit has been a part of three World Cups from 2015 to 2023 and has been a standout performer in each of the tournament, ending as leading run-getter in 2019 edition in UK with 648 runs in nine games, including five centuries and a fifty.
Overall, he is the fourth-highest run-getter with 1,575 runs in 28 matches and innings at an average of 60.57, including seven centuries (the most by a batter in WC history) and six fifties.Speaking on Virat, Jonty said that Virat's aggression matches that of six time World Championd Australia and he has "absolute hunger" to win matches for his team.
"We have watched Australia win so many World Cups and seen their aggression and the expectation to win almost. And I think that is what Virat has been. He has had this absolute hunger to win games for his team," he said.
"When you are the leader and the captain of a setup, and you can consistently be the best chaser in the world, it just shows how determined you are to be the guy that gets the team over the line. When he chases down scores for such a long period of time, he has been the ultimate finisher of the game for India."
"From that perspective, he feeds off that aggression. He does not mind when he's batting. A lot of players do not want to lose their concentration. If he is batting, he will get stuck in as well. So he is certainly somebody who loves the contest and loves the fight. He just has such a huge drive to win games for India, and whether he's captain or not, he'll still have that drive. He just wants India to win," he added.
Virat is the second-highest run-getter in WC history with 1,795 runs in 37 matches and innings at an average of 59.83, including five centuries and 12 fifties.
With 14,941 runs in 314 ODIs and 302 innings at an average of 58.59 and 54 centuries, 79 fifties, Virat is one of the finest and perhaps the finest ever ODI batter.
He has an incredible record in successful run-chases, having made 6,235 runs in 111 matches and 105 innings at an average of 89.07, including 24 centuries and 29 fifties.
This year in ODIs, Virat has 384 runs in six innings at an average of 64.00 and a strike rate of over 106, with a century and three fifties. Rohit has had some ups and downs, with 379 runs in nine innings at an average of 42.11 and a strike rate of over 99, including a ton and fifty, with best score of 138 against England at Lord's.