Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stole the show in Sydney with a vintage 168-run partnership, guiding India to a nine-wicket win over Australia. Possibly their last ODI innings Down Under, RoKo’s masterclass left fans cheering.
The Sydney Cricket Ground was a theatre of memories, nostalgia, and sheer brilliance on Saturday as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli reminded the cricketing world why they are legends of the game. In what could be their final ODI innings on Australian soil, the Indian duo orchestrated a masterclass, leading India to a nine-wicket victory over Australia in the third ODI, sparking celebrations and heartbreak in equal measure.
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RoKo Turns Back the Clock
Chasing a modest 237, India’s journey seemed straightforward, yet the anticipation in the air was palpable. Rohit Sharma, ever the conductor of elegance and power, scored an unbeaten 121, while Virat Kohli, after back-to-back ducks in Perth and Adelaide, returned to his old, mercurial self with a fluent 74 not out. Together, they stitched a 168-run partnership in just 170 balls, a seamless blend of experience, artistry, and instinct.
“I don’t know if we’ll be coming back to Australia, but it was fun all these years that we played here,” said the 38-year-old Rohit. “You know, a lot of good memories, bad memories. But all in all, I’ll take the cricket that I played here.”
Kohli, the ‘Chase Master,’ echoed the sentiment, adding, “Going out there and having a situation is always something that brings the best out of me and when Rohit is batting it’s pretty easy to kind of rotate the strike, we know each other’s game pretty well. We want to say thank you, we’ve loved coming to this country. We’ve played some of our best cricket here so thank you very much.”
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Virat and Rohit’s Milestone Mania
Virat’s innings was historic on multiple fronts. With this knock, he surpassed Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs) to solidify his position as the second-highest run-getter in ODIs and overtook Sachin Tendulkar across all limited-overs internationals, amassing a total of 18,438 runs combining ODIs and T20Is. He now also holds the record for the most fifty-plus scores during ODI run-chases (70), surpassing Tendulkar’s 69.
In ODIs against Australia specifically, Kohli has compiled 2,525 runs in 51 innings across 53 matches, registering eight centuries and 16 fifties at an average of 53.72. This year alone, he has scored 349 runs in 10 ODIs, with a century and three fifties, further underscoring his consistency.
Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, reached a monumental milestone during the chase, bringing up his 50th international century, becoming only the third Indian batter and 10th overall to achieve the feat. His 121* in 125 balls, including 13 fours and a six, came at a strike rate of 96.80 and was his 33rd ODI ton. This innings also marked his sixth century in Australia in 33 innings, the most by any visiting batter, and his ninth century against Australia in ODIs, equaling Sachin Tendulkar for the most hundreds by an Indian against the Aussies.
Rohit finished the three-match series as India’s top scorer with 202 runs at an average of 101.00, including a century and a fifty. In 11 ODIs this year, he has amassed 504 runs at an average of 50.40 with a strike rate of 97.86, including two centuries and two fifties. With 12 Test centuries, 33 ODI tons, and five T20I hundreds, Rohit has become the only batter to score five or more centuries in each of the three formats. He also overtook former captain Sourav Ganguly (11,363 runs) to become India’s ninth-highest ODI run-getter, amassing 11,370 runs in 276 matches at an average of 49.22.
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The Match: From Solid Starts to RoKo Dominance
Australia, having won the toss, opted to bat first. A brisk 61-run opening stand between Mitchell Marsh (41 in 50 balls, with five fours and a six) and Travis Head (29 in 25 balls, with six fours) provided momentum. Matt Short contributed 30 runs, while a 59-run partnership between Matt Renshaw (56 in 58 balls) and Alex Carey (24 in 37 balls) lifted Australia to 183/3.
However, India’s bowlers—led by Harshit Rana, who claimed 4/39, and supported by Washington Sundar (2/44), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav—triggered a collapse, restricting Australia to 236 in 46.4 overs.
In response, India began steadily with Shubman Gill (24 in 26 balls) and Rohit putting on 69 runs for the first wicket. Then, the magic unfolded. Rohit and Kohli’s unbeaten 168-run second-wicket stand carried India home with nine wickets in hand and 69 balls to spare.
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Fielding and Team Effort
While the spotlight shone brightly on Rohit and Kohli, India’s fielders and bowlers played pivotal roles. Shreyas Iyer pulled off a spectacular running catch to dismiss Alex Carey, and Virat Kohli himself contributed a sharp backward-point catch to remove Matthew Short. The spinners contained Australia in the middle overs, while Rana’s pace and bounce kept the hosts on edge throughout.
Shubman Gill, witnessing India’s near-perfect chase as captain, praised the veterans: “We had a near-perfect game. The chase was pleasing to see. Rohit and Kohli have done it for so many years, and it was a delight to watch. It was a special win on a special ground.”
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2027 World Cup Loading
Although Australia clinched the three-match series 2-1, the final ODI was a fitting farewell for two of India’s greatest cricketing icons in Australia. Rohit’s flamboyance and Kohli’s precision reminded fans why RoKo has dominated world cricket for over a decade.
As the Sydney crowd cheered, the message was unmistakable: “See you in the 2027 World Cup.” Until then, the memory of this vintage RoKo performance—the power, the precision, the poetry—will linger in hearts and highlight reels for years to come.
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