Rohit and Kohli's ODI Future: Gavaskar's Insights

Sunil Gavaskar has recently sparked a conversation around the participation of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the upcoming ODI series against Australia. Despite both players not having played any cricket since the IPL concluded on June 3, Gavaskar believes their availability for this series is largely motivated by its significance. He suggested that if the series were in a less prominent cricketing nation, like Zimbabwe or the West Indies, they might have opted out.

The backdrop of this discussion is India's disappointing loss to Australia in the final of the 2023 World Cup. Gavaskar mentioned that this defeat may have played a key role in their decision to participate in the tour down under. “I’m pretty certain that if this were a trip to Zimbabwe or the West Indies, both of them would not have been available. But because this is in Australia, and because India lost to Australia in the World Cup final, maybe that is the reason why both of them have decided, yes, I want to be available for this,” he stated.

In a significant shift in leadership, Shubman Gill has been appointed as the ODI captain, marking the end of Rohit Sharma's captaincy tenure across all formats. Rohit had previously retired from T20 internationals after leading India to the T20 World Cup title and stepped down from Test captaincy earlier in the year. His last act as ODI captain was leading India to triumph in the 2025 Champions Trophy.

As both players approach the later stages of their careers, with Rohit turning 40 by the time of the 2027 World Cup and Kohli 37, Gavaskar highlighted the challenges they may face in remaining relevant in the selection process. He emphasized the necessity for them to engage in domestic cricket to maintain their form. Gavaskar pointed out that the number of ODIs played each year has significantly declined, making it crucial for players to participate in domestic tournaments whenever possible.

“It depends to a great extent on the number of one-day matches that India plays over the next couple of years. Look, it’s not easy to be playing just seven or eight ODIs in a season while preparing for something as big as a World Cup,” he explained. “For those eight white-ball matches, there are probably five T20s and three ODIs. That is not giving much in terms of exposure or practice for players who are approaching the latter stages of their careers.”

To stay in shape and maintain match readiness, Gavaskar advised that both players will need to participate in tournaments like the Vijay Hazare Trophy whenever they are scheduled, ensuring there are no clashes with international fixtures. This proactive approach may be their best bet to remain in contention for future selections.