Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's ODI Future: What Lies Ahead?
Uncertain Futures for Indian Cricket Legends
The future of renowned cricketers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remains ambiguous following their recent retirements from Test cricket. Both players announced their departure from the longest format just before India's current tour in England, where they are currently trailing 1-2 in the five-match series after losing the Test at Lord's on July 14.
Previously, the Indian batting icons had also stepped back from T20 internationals after leading India to victory in the T20 World Cup against South Africa in the final held in Barbados. With their retirements from two formats, the status of their participation in One Day Internationals (ODIs) is now in question, leaving fans wondering if they will continue in this format or retire from it as well.
Rohit and Kohli's Commitment to ODI Cricket
Upon announcing his Test retirement, Rohit Sharma confirmed his intention to keep playing ODIs. In contrast, Virat Kohli has expressed his ambition to participate in the 2027 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Amidst the uncertainty regarding their ODI futures, Rajiv Shukla, the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), reassured fans that both players will continue to represent India in ODIs. He stated, "We will always consider them as legendary batters. It's very good for us that both of them are available for ODIs," following a meeting between Team India and King Charles in London.
Recent Performances and Future Prospects
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli last played in the ODI format during the Champions Trophy Final, where they triumphed over New Zealand. Rohit had a commendable tournament, accumulating 180 runs, including a half-century, with an average of 36 across five matches. Kohli, on the other hand, was the second-highest run-scorer, amassing 218 runs, which included a century and a fifty, averaging 54.50 in the same number of matches.
With their retirements from Test and T20 formats, both players are now pivotal to India's ODI lineup as the team aims to establish a robust core ahead of the 2027 World Cup, relying on their vast experience and match-winning capabilities.
Clarifying Retirement Speculations
Despite the voluntary nature of their Test retirements, rumors suggested that Rohit and Kohli were pressured to step down to make way for younger talent. These speculations arose following India's defeat at Lord's.
However, BCCI's Rajiv Shukla clarified that both players made their retirement decisions independently, emphasizing that the board respects players' choices regarding their careers. He remarked, "We also miss Rohit and Virat. But Rohit and Virat have taken this decision on their own. BCCI has a very strict policy that we don't tell any player when or from which format they should retire."
Rohit announced his retirement first, followed shortly by Kohli, marking the end of their illustrious Test careers. Rohit concludes with 4,301 runs, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties, averaging 40.57 in 67 matches. Kohli finishes as the fourth-highest run-scorer in Tests, with 9,230 runs, 30 centuries, and 31 fifties, averaging 46.85 in 123 matches.