Aakash Chopra Applauds Kohli and Rohit Ahead of ODI Series Decider
Chopra's Praise for Indian Batters
In New Delhi, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has commended the impressive form of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in One Day Internationals (ODIs). He remarked that Kohli is currently showcasing some of the best ODI performances of his career and expressed his hope for Rohit to achieve a century in the upcoming series finale against New Zealand in Indore this Sunday.
During an interview, Chopra highlighted Rohit Sharma's century in Australia last year and his consistent fifties during the South Africa series. He noted that Rohit has performed well in the ongoing series against New Zealand whenever he has been at the crease.
Chopra pointed out that it is unreasonable to evaluate Rohit's ODI form at this time, especially since the next ODI after the New Zealand series is several months away. He emphasized that Rohit has nothing to prove to anyone.
He stated, "There’s no doubt that he (Rohit Sharma) is batting well. He had a century in Sydney and fifties in the South Africa series. In the current series, he has looked solid during his time at the crease. Judging Rohit at this moment is illogical, considering the next ODI is about six months away. He doesn’t need to prove anything. Let’s hope to see him score a century in Indore during the last match of this series."
Chopra also praised Virat Kohli's current ODI performance, stating that he has never seen Kohli play this well in ODIs before.
He remarked, "If the World Cup were tomorrow, you wouldn’t be asking me this. My view is that discussions about his role in the 2027 ODI World Cup should be postponed until 2027. However, based on his current form, I don’t think we’ve ever witnessed him perform this well in ODIs."
Both Kohli and Rohit, now focusing solely on ODIs, have been in exceptional form recently. Rohit has amassed 553 runs in his last ten 50-over innings, which includes two centuries and three fifties. Meanwhile, Kohli has scored 700 runs in his last ten 50-over innings, featuring three centuries and four half-centuries.
As Team India prepares for the T20 World Cup 2026, they are facing several injury challenges. Washington Sundar and Tilak Varma, both part of the squad for the prestigious event, are set to miss the T20I matches against New Zealand. ESPNcricinfo reports that Sundar has been ruled out of the five-match series, while Tilak is likely to miss the T20Is and could also be unavailable for the World Cup due to undergoing "testicular torsion surgery."
Chopra acknowledged the concern regarding these injuries but noted that there is still time before the T20 World Cup. He expressed optimism that the Indian team will be prepared for the major event.
He concluded, "It is a bit concerning, of course, but today is January 15, and our first T20 World Cup match is on February 7. Let’s hope the injuries do not become a significant issue and that the team is ready by the time the World Cup arrives."