When India take the field against Australia in the first ODI on October 19, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli shall be returning to international cricket after over seven months. They last played on March 9 in the Champions Trophy final vs New Zealand. Both players retired from T20Is last year and some months back called time on their Test careers as well.
Are Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s International Retirements Closing in?Fans are waiting in anticipation to watch Rohit and Kohli in action once more. But there is a possibility that the Australia series could see the end of an era. There is every chance that Rohit and Kohli may be playing their last international games for the Men in Blue. An ODI retirement also means an international farewell for these too because they have quit the remaining formats.
© X/BCCI
Of course, nothing is confirmed and these are just speculations. But the signs cannot be ignored. Rohit was removed as ODI skipper and Shubman Gill was named as his replacement when the squad was announced. While Rohit and Kohli made the cut, the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami have been left out. That means the door is more or less shut on their ODI future.
There are also reports that coach Gautam Gambhir is the one calling the shots. According to former India player Manoj Tiwary, Gambhir had a role to play in ousting Rohit and Kohli from the Test side. Apparently he was the one who fastracked Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement as well. In other words, it appears Gambhir is letting go of senior players and moving on to the younger lot.
© X/BCCI
Rohit and Kohli want to play the 2027 ODI World Cup but with two years still to go, the odds are less. Time is their biggest adversary as form and fitness will come into the equation. Rohit is 38 and has played for 18 years while Kohli is almost 37 and has been around for 17 years. They are in the twilight of their careers and while it would be lovely if they were around till the 2027 ODI World Cup, one needs to be realistic as well.
When Will Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Retire from International Cricket?While it may not be the Australia series, the end is near for Rohit and Kohli. One knew this day would come but now that it can happen sooner than later, fans are not in the mood to let them go. But when it does happen, they hope that ‘Hitman’ and ‘King’ go out in style. So when will they finally call time? Shall the Australia series be Rohit and Kohli’s international farewell or will we see them in South Africa in 2027? All these questions will be answered in due time.
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