Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar questioned Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s selection for the ODI series against Australia, citing concerns over form and match fitness, as the duo haven’t played international cricket for over six months.
Former Team India captain and the BCCI chief selector, Dilip Vengsarkar, questioned the selection of Indian batting stalwarts, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, in the ODI squad for the upcoming tour of Australia, which will take place from October 19. On Saturday, the chief selector Ajit Agarkar announced the 15-member squad for the ODI series against Australia, which confirmed the return of Rohit and Kohli to international cricket.
After announcing their retirements from Test cricket in May this year, the batting duo has not played any international matches since then. Their last appearances for Team India were in the Champions Trophy 2025 Final, wherein the Men in Blue defeated New Zealand to lift the coveted trophy, which had eluded them for 12 years.
It’s been over six months since the two senior batters last featured in any international cricket, raising match fitness, form, and readiness for the high-intensity ODI series against Australia. After the conclusion of the IPL 2025 in June, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli haven’t played any form of competitive cricket, which has led to concerns over their rhythm and match fitness ahead of the Australia tour.
Vengsarkar unconvinced by Rohit, Kohli’s ODI selection
Speaking to Mid-Day, former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar acknowledged the fact that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are India’s ‘great players’ over the years, but raised concerns about form and fitness, given that the duo play only one format after having retired from the T20Is and Tests.
“Rohit and Virat have been great players over the years, but if you are playing just one format of the game, I believe the selectors need to take a call on this,” Ex-BCCI chief selector
“I feel you cannot know or judge the form and fitness of such players because they’ve had a long layoff after the last game they have played. It’s very difficult to assess their form and fitness,” he added.
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Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will only feature in ODIs after having retired from Tests and T20Is. The Indian batting stalwarts retired from the T20Is following the Men in Blue’s T20 World Cup triumph last year, wherein Team India defeated South Africa in the final, ending their 12-year drought of an ICC title.
‘Very difficult to gauge their form and fitness’
Dilip Vengsarkar further stated that it is difficult to assess the form and fitness of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as the two are playing in ODIs, while questioning the selectors about the rationale behind recalling two senior batters who haven’t played competitive cricket for months and how their form and fitness can be accurately evaluated.
“Rohit and Virat have possibly been picked because of their great records. They have been great players and have done yeoman service to Indian cricket, having won many matches in all formats of the game,” the former India captain said.
“But since they have not been playing Test match cricket as well as T20s, and are playing only one format, one-day matches, which is not very often played during the season, it’s very difficult to gauge their form and fitness. But since they have been picked, the selectors may have checked that, though I don’t know how,” he added.
Before the selection to the India squad for the ODI series against Australia, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli cleared the mandatory fitness tests. Rohit Sharma, who was sacked as ODI captain, took his fitness test in Bengaluru, while Kohli was granted a special exemption to complete his test in London, where he is currently residing with his family.