We’re closer to the end than you think. End of a glorious era in Indian cricket, which will soon witness two of their biggest batting stalwarts – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – take their final walk into the sunset.
Yes, they may have gotten picked in India’s 15-member squad for the ODI series in Australia starting October 19, but the three matches Down Under could mark the beginning of the end for Ro-Ko. On Saturday, the BCCI chairman of selectors all but confirmed that neither Kohli nor Rohit is likely in India’s scheme of things for the 2027 World Cup, and a recent report carried by The Telegraph indicates that, as far as Rohit and Kohli are concerned, we are in the endgame now.
Kohli and Rohit could soon become ‘former players’. With both remaining non-committal about India’s next big ICC event in South Africa two years from now, the road ahead looks tedious. India plays a few ODIs in the next few months, against South Africa at home and versus New Zealand, but keeping up with the demand of playing cricket regularly is where Kohli and Rohit will struggle the most, having retired from T20Is and Tests. In fact, Kohli and Rohit were reportedly never a lock in India’s plan going forward, and this plan was kept under wraps by none other than the BCCI chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir.
“The plan to put Shubman Gill in charge of the ODI side had been devised much earlier, and the new Test captain’s success in England only helped the selectors and the team management’s cause. The blueprint, devised by Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir, was kept a closely guarded secret and got the approval of the power-wielders in the Board,” The Telegraph reported.
Can Rohit and Kohli prolong their careers?
Sachin Tendulkar retired from international cricket at the age of 40, and MS Dhoni played his last for India when he was 39. Rohit and Kohli, however, are likely not to last that long – certainly not the 2027 World Cup if this report is anything to go by. By the time the ICC event in South Africa comes calling, Rohit would’ve already turned 40, and Kohli would be closing in on 39. With a plethora of youngsters waiting in the wings – under the new captain Gill – Kohli and Rohit face stiff challenges from a French bunch of young legs. A couple of months ago, a report had emerged that the Australia series could be Ro-Ko’s farewell, and with the recent change in guard, it could well be true, although only time will tell how long Kohli and Rohit decide to prolong their careers.
A PTI report, however, on the contrary, claims that Kohli still has a chance to play the 2027 World Cup, given his extraordinary fitness levels. Rohit may have worked on his with Abhishek Nayar, but that’s not enough. The recent developments and takeaways from the press conference provide enough evidence that Rohit may not have taken the decision too well, as Agarkar refused to reveal the details of his communication with the two-time ICC title winner and tried to diffuse the chatter around the World Cup in South Africa.