The BCCI is going to hold an important meeting to discuss the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in ODIs soon. Team India are currently playing their last ODI series of the year. Rohit-Kohli’s future in the 50-over setup will be crucial as the Men in Blue begin planning for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Meanwhile, in the 1st ODI against South Africa, Rohit and Kohli put up a 100-run partnership. Both scored half-centuries. Rohit hit the highest number of 6s in ODIs, surpassing Shahid Afridi. India are 161/1 in 21 overs.
Senior BCCI officials, coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar will meet in Ahmedabad. The critical meeting will be held after the 3rd ODI (6 December) against South Africa next week, according to a TOI report.
So far, there has been no detailed conversation with Rohit or Kohli about their roles in the next World Cup cycle. The team management has started looking at backup options in case either senior player is unavailable later, the report added.
Meanwhile, the board has advised Rohit to focus on fitness and performance. It has reportedly asked India’s World Cup-winning captain to ignore social media buzz about his future.
“It is very important that players of Rohit and Kohli’s stature are given clarity about what is expected of them and how the current management views their roles. They can’t just be playing with uncertainty,” the BCCI insider told the publication.
In the meeting, the board will reportedly address clearly defining their roles ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
The board wants to address concerns about how quickly both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can regain rhythm after long breaks since they now play only one format. The TOI report says that officials found Ro-Ko rusty in the first 2 ODIs in Australia even though they scored runs in the 3rd.
“They did score runs in the 3rd ODI in Australia. But, the series was already lost and the match was set up by the bowlers in the first innings. They looked rusty in the first two matches. One can’t afford that in every series,” the insider said.
Rohit is expected to maintain his aggressive style rather than taking extra time to settle. The team management wants both seniors to guide younger batters by leading from the front.
“It is expected that he continues to lead by example as a fearless batter at the top of the order. The conditions were tough in Australia but it did look like he was avoiding taking risks,” the insider said.
“Both are expected to lead the batting to make it easier for the rest of the younger batters around them,” the TOI source added.
There is also concern about their limited match time outside international cricket. The board believes some county cricket in England would have helped.
Both players will be informed of the management’s expectations for them. Uncertainty, the board feels, should not surround icons who anchor the batting unit.
Vijay Hazare Trophy
The BCCI may ask Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy next month to regain match rhythm.
Rohit plays for Mumbai, which is in the Elite Group C. It will play its matches in Jaipur. The first game is on 24 December against Sikkim.
Kohli plays for Delhi, which is in the Elite Group D. It will play its matches in Bengaluru. The first game is on 24 December against Andhra.
Both teams will play 6 more matches in the next couple of weeks, with the last match being on 8 January.
India’s next ODI series
India’s next ODI assignments begin with a 3-match home series against New Zealand in January. The 1st ODI will be played in Vadodara on 11 January. The second ODI will be in Rajkot on 14 January. The third will be in Indore on 18 January. All matches are day-night games starting at 1:30 PM (India time).
After this, India will not play ODIs again until July, when they travel to England for another 3-match series. The England tour starts with the 1st ODI in Birmingham on 14 July. The Men in Blue will then move to Cardiff for the 2nd ODI on 16 July. The series ends with the 3rd ODI at Lord’s on 19 July.
