Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli - two of the biggest modern-day titans of Indian cricket - are in the twilight of their careers, having already retired from two formats. Aadya Sharma wonders if it's time for India to move on from them in the only format that remains as well.
It’s been well over six months since Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, arm in arm, celebrated their second Champions Trophy title under the lit up Dubai Ring of Fire. At that point, their next ODI assignment was in August against Bangladesh. That got canned.
Between then and now came their Test retirements: for Rohit, the writing was on the wall, for Kohli, slightly less so. It essentially reduced them to one-format players. But, at ages 38 & 36, that’s not a bad place to be.
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There’s no questioning their ODI pedigree: Kohli is arguably the best there has ever been, and Rohit too comfortably sits in the upper echelons. But while their places in Indian cricket history are assured, the decision now is over the present and the future. . And they aren’t at the centre of Indian cricket as they once used to be.
Neither have played any competitive cricket since June, two days apart from each other. Kohli’s IPL campaign ended in long-awaited glory, and he was in prime form throughout, punching eight fifties and finishing with the third-most runs. In terms of runs, Rohit had his best edition in nine years, with a strike-rate nearing 150.
Kohli’s triumph was closely followed by a mass tragedy in RCB’s hometown, silencing all celebrations . He’s been in London since, now his adopted home. Last month, he was finally seen with a bat in hand, making his worried fans rejoice again.
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Rohit has been far more in the limelight, shooting ads, making video appearances, posting on social media, and even unleashing a visibly trimmed physique. He recently trained at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, usually utilised by Indian players in contention or in rehabilitation.
Reports earlier indicated that both would be available for the India A series against the touring Australians, getting back in gear for the upcoming white-ball tour of the country. The three-match series would have been a good way to ease in. Yet, they weren’t among the selected group.
Despite all the chatter around domestic cricket being mandatory for an India spot, both haven’t played anything since a brief Ranji Trophy appearance earlier this year.
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Where does it leave them?
In August, Cricket Australia confirmed that tickets for all fan zones of the ODI & T20I series had been sold out. India tours of Australia are a big financial engine, and having both Kohli and Rohit in the squad is a massive pull for the organisers.
The three ODIs are set to be held between October 19 and 25. Now retired from T20Is, both players would be touring Australia just for those three games.
After that, India play South Africa at home for three ODIs in November-December, followed by three more against New Zealand in January. Between that, and the next ODI series in England in July, there will be two months of IPL, which both are expected to play.
The eye is clearly on the 2027 World Cup, still the ultimate glory. Kohli’s tasted it once; Rohit was absent from it, and famously came close in 2019.
But the World Cup is in October-November 2027, still over two years away. That’s a significant amount of time for two ageing stars to pull through.
Contrasting fortunes in South Africa
Contrary to the home World Cup in 2023 – which could have been a great chance for a goodbye – the upcoming edition is in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Rohit last toured South Africa for ODIs in 2018, Kohli in 2022. And their overall figures can’t be more contrasting.
Rohit averages 19.69 from 13 innings with a solitary hundred. The strike-rate reads a worrying 68.44.
Kohli, meanwhile, has thrived in South Africa, averaging 76.38 from 18 innings with three centuries and six fifties.
The fitness question and returning from a break
For years, Kohli has raised the standards of fitness in Indian cricket. Yet, long periods of no cricket are bound to have an effect on his agility and swiftness too. Those are traits deeply embedded in his ODI game, which involves a lot of strike rotation. He’ll be nearing 39, while Rohit will be well over 40. Historically, India have fielded just two 38+ players at a World Cup ever. Above 40, there have been just 20 World Cup cricketers ever. Just two, if you want to consider anyone who has played three formats.
While Kohli reportedly passed a recent fitness test at the Centre of Excellence, it is said that he did it from London.
Rohit has reportedly lost 10 kilos since the IPL and was among seven players to take the fitness test in August at the CoE. He was also set to undergo a surgery for a persistent hamstring issue after the IPL. There’s no clarity whether that happened.
In 2022, Kohli took a significant mental health break, even suggesting he did not pick up a bat for a whole month. A blockbuster comeback followed in T20Is, including a maiden century and the iconic T20 World Cup knock against Pakistan months later.
Could another break spur him into top gear? It’s worth remembering that, as compared to three formats then, Kohli now just plays one. The gaps will be longer now.
Is this India’s chance to ease into transition?
Yet, it also makes you wonder if this is the perfect time for India to blood their youngsters. Generally, a two-year period is a good window to give your rookies chances, slowly start figuring out the best combinations, and developing bench strength.
For a team like India, where talent runs deeper than any other country, there’s no shortage of options. As backup opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been waiting for a while now. Ruturaj Gaikwad – who averages 56.15 in List A cricket – was supposed to be in the transition plan too, as is a younger Sai Sudharsan, who started his ODI career with consecutive fifties in South Africa. There are reports that Abhishek Sharma, in sensational T20I form, is also in consideration for an Australia spot. Keeping Rohit in the mix will push all of them back a couple of years.
Worse, if India persist with Rohit and Kohli, only to realise that their ageing stars have lost their spark one year in, it’ll leave them scrambling for fill-ins. Close to the World Cup, and with little game time left for potential replacements, that could jeopardise their plans even further.
Kohli has built an unmatched legacy at No.3, and filling in his shoes will be an arduous task. Since the 2023 ODI World Cup, Kohli’s played ten times there, averaging 37. A bit of shuffling around has meant four others have played once each. The next-in-line isn’t clear.
Among those who have been tried in the top five since that tournament (and who are not regulars), Sanju Samson, Rajat Patidar and Washington Sundar are just some of the options. Riyan Parag has hit back-to-back List A fifties against Australia A. Having just won India the Asia Cup final, Tilak Varma is now second-in-command in the same series, and compiled a fighting, backs-to-the-wall fifty in the second game. These are just some of the names.
With a robust ‘A’ system and a ready line of delivery through the IPL, the Indian team is as plush with batting options as it has ever been. The image of a reunited Kohli-Rohit pushing each other for a final sprint at the trophy is tempting alright. Maybe, their slumped selves from the 2023 final deserve another shot at glory.
But it’s also worth recalling that a 21-year-old Kohli was backed to play all 25 ODIs in 2010, a year before the World Cup he won. Debuting at 20, Rohit himself got a long run before he could truly realise his potential at 26.
Already two-thirds retired, and two years away from the next World Cup, maybe this is the right time for Ro-Ko to let others live their dream.
