Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have hung their boots from Tests and T20Is.
Since the past few weeks, there have been a lot of narrative floating around the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in ODI cricket. The duo recently called time on their career in both, the Test and T20I format. The world will never see both of them donning the whites again, but it leaves India on the brink of a very important question. The game is moving fast and there is only one way to survive – adaptation! Teams which will be able to adapt to the fast-paced nature of the game might be the most successful ones. But are India really prepared to move past Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli before World Cup 2027?
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The answer to this question cannot be direct. Multiple factors will determine it over a period of time. Both Kohli and Rohit share heaps of experience, which surely has the ability to help India through this transition. Like the Test team transitioning under Shubman Gill, the ODI setup for the Blues will soon be under the pump. They would be on the road to preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup. As expected, the entire focus of the selectors is towards the upcoming Asia Cup and T20 World Cup next year.
Both Kohli and Rohit have not been very vocal about their plans in the format. Assuming India missed out on the final hurdle in the previous World Cup in 2023, both of them would want to make things right. But time might be running out for the duo. Along with their skills, it will be important for them to keep their fitness levels intact. With 14,181 and 11,168 runs in the format respectively, both Kohli and Rohit have been stalwarts of Indian cricket. If India are to go ahead without the duo, they will have to make sure that their line-ups leave no loophole. And they will have to do it quickly.
First things first, the Men in Blue have not played a lot of 50-over games recently. The events scheduled for the team have left no scope for India to play ODIs. India last played a match in the 50-over format in the month of March, which was the ICC Champions Trophy Final. Apart from the Champions Trophy, the Blues are yet to play an ODI this year.
The ODI World Cup is organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) every four years. Since the next 50-over coveted event is not scheduled until 2027, the cricket boards get into a tendency to take things easy in terms of the schedule. Moreover, competitions like the World Test Championship (WTC) force teams to play a certain amount of matches, which takes a part of their schedule. The tendency of cricket boards to prioritize the series as per the format of the next big event is no surprise. But it leads to huge gaps in the middle for teams to fill.
To shed more light on the underlying issue, the Men in Blue played just three ODIs in 2024. A bilateral series against Sri Lanka was all India could manage in the entire year, which was filled with T20Is as a preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup in June. The franchise leagues which are on the rise also play a huge role in eating up the schedules of teams. A league like the Indian Premier League (IPL) which is played for two months from March to May would enable the players to think a certain way, which the format demands. It is then a challenge for players adapt to the requirements of a broader format, if a 50-over event is on the horizon.
It is important for us to understand the changing nature of the formats. ODI cricket is a format which might be simple, yet confusing. To put it into today’s scanner, it is not as slow as a Test match, nor as fast as a T20. Players who are successful in the ODI format are the ones who understand the pace of the game, and can mould their skills as per the requirement of the situation. This is the reason the absence of the two stalwarts might prevent India from thriving in the ODI format.
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Former India all-rounder Suresh Raina voiced his opinions on the matter. He said that the importance of having Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in ODIs is crucial for the Indian team. Raina believes that both the players still have a lot to offer to Indian cricket. He also stated that the team is yet to find their successor for the opener and No.3 spot. Shubman Gill had performed extremely well in the 50-over format and his numbers reflect that. He was a part of India’s 2023 World Cup campaign and did well at the opening spot.
Kohli and Rohit have a lot to offer on the back of their recent achievements. Kohli was a part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) title-winning race in IPL 2025. Rohit lifted the T20 World Cup last year. Who will take the mantle of captaincy in ODIs is absolutely unclear at this stage. The BCCI has made it very clear that they would like to focus on the two vital events scheduled next. However, Raina is extremely positive about the duo’s chances for the 2027 World Cup. He feels that India needs their experience to thrive.
“India don’t have dependable players at No.1 and No.3 (in ODIs) at the moment, especially when chasing. Rohit and Virat’s experience is very important. It’s crucial for the seniors to stay involved with the juniors. For the astute leadership they have shown during their respective careers, they need to be part of the dressing room”, said Raina in the interview.
