New Delhi, Aug 10: It’s that time of the year when speculation is rife about the impending ODI future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, but if one goes by the decision makers in the Indian cricket board, there is no tearing hurry to take an immediate call on the two maestros.
With the Bangladesh series scheduled in August being called off, India’s next ODI assignment will be an away series from October 19-25 against Australia.
Indian cricket runs on narratives and currently it is about whether Kohli and Rohit, with a cumulative 83 ODI hundreds and 25,000-plus runs, can last till the October 2027 ODI World Cup when they would be 39 and 40-year old respectively.
“Obviously, if they (Rohit and Kohli) have something in mind, they would tell the BCCI brass like they did before the England Test tour.
But from an Indian team’s perspective, the next big assignment is the T20 World Cup in February and preparations before that.
The immediate focus will be on sending the best team for the Asia Cup T20 tournament, hoping all players are fit and available,” a BCCI source privy to the developments told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
The BCCI never believes in taking decisions in haste and would always gauge the mood and public perceptions before taking a call, which is sensitive in nature considering the massive fan following of the two players.
The last tournament that they played was the Champions Trophy in Dubai where Kohli scored a hundred in a successful chase against Pakistan at the group league stage while Rohit starred with a sublime half-century in the chase during the final.
However, both have not played competitive cricket since the conclusion of the Indian Premier League.
Kohli, who is now a resident of London, had recently posted an Instagram story after an indoor nets session, which is an indicator that he has started training.
Rohit, who was also in the UK on a break post IPL, is recently back in Mumbai and would certainly be expected to start training in a few days.While there are some media reports about BCCI offering the duo a farewell game at Sydney on October 25, the BCCI source in the know of things said that as of now, no such discussions have taken place.
As far as playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy is concerned, the source said that the national One-Day Championship starts on December 24, 2025 and even before that, there is another three-match ODI series at home against South Africa starting November 30.“Even if they play Vijay Hazare, before that there would already be six ODIs that will be played.
In between the Australia ODIs and the South Africa ODIs, there is an India A series against South Africa A where three List A games (50 overs) will be held at Rajkot on November 13, 16 and 19 respectively.
“Now, will the duo want to play those three A games, or possibly two, before the South Africa series is the question. Even more important is whether Ajit Agarkar and his colleagues would want that,” he said.
“Overlapping the Vijay Hazare Trophy (December 24, 2025 – January 18, 2025) will be the three ODIs between India and New Zealand (January 11, 14, 18). So even if they play the Vijay Hazare Trophy, it can’t be for more than two to three games,” he added.
In the end, the fate of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in India’s ODI setup remains a delicate blend of sentiment, strategy and timing. While their staggering records speak for themselves and their presence continues to command unmatched respect, the selectors and the BCCI are treading with measured steps, knowing that any decision on two of the game’s modern greats will carry both cricketing and emotional weight.
The months ahead will not only determine whether they remain central to India’s 50-over plans but also reveal how the board envisions the gradual passing of the baton. For now, the conversations will swirl, the speculations will grow, and the fans will wait — some hoping to see their heroes in the blue jersey for one last dance on the grand stage, others eager to watch the next generation rise.
One thing is certain: whatever call is made, it will be one of the most defining moments in recent Indian cricket history.
Until then, Kohli and Rohit’s future in ODIs will remain a topic that fuels drawing-room debates, television discussions, and social media chatter.
The duo’s legacy is already etched in gold, but the coming months will decide whether their final chapters in the 50-over format are written in the heat of competitive battle or in the glow of a farewell celebration.
With a packed calendar ahead and India’s focus temporarily shifted towards T20 glory, the immediate priority is to ensure both remain in peak physical and mental shape, should the selectors decide their experience is still indispensable. In many ways, their journey mirrors that of Indian cricket itself — balancing tradition with transition, and emotion with pragmatism.For now, the cricketing world can only watch as the story unfolds, with each training update, public appearance, or cryptic social media post adding fresh layers to the narrative.
Whether they choose to bow out gracefully or push for another shot at ODI glory, Kohli and Rohit’s decisions will be driven as much by personal ambition as by the team’s larger vision. (Agencies)
