Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's ODI Future And BCCI's Approach: What We Know So Far

Speculation continues to grow over Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's one-day internationals (ODI) future, even as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seems to be in no hurry to decide on the two batting titans. With the Bangladesh series slated in August being postponed, India's next ODI assignment will be a tour of Australia from October 19–25. But whether Rohit and Kohli will be playing ODIs post the away series remains a matter of conjecture and ongoing debate among Indian cricket fans and experts.

BCCI Considers Kohli, Rohit ODI Roles Amid Australia Series

According to a PTI report, there is a school of thought in the BCCI that, for Kohli and Rohit to get ready for the tour Down Under, they can play a couple of India A games in India when the Australia A team — which will have Jake Fraser-McGurk as a member — visits.

The three List A games will be played in Kanpur on September 30, October 3 and October 5, at the same time the senior team plays the first Test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad. This scheduling could impact player availability and preparation for the Australia ODI series.

It is worth remembering that the last time India played a bilateral ODI series in Australia was in November–December 2020, when the hosts won 2–1. Since then, Australia have maintained a strong home record, losing only one ODI series at home in the past four years.

Rohit-Kohli Future: Public Sentiment

A major questioned being asked in Indian cricket currently is whether Kohli and Rohit, with a cumulative 83 ODI hundreds and 25,000-plus runs between them, can last till the October 2027 ODI World Cup when they would be 39 and 40 years old, respectively.

"Obviously, if they (Rohit and Kohli) have something in mind, they would tell the BCCI brass like they did before the England Test tour. But from an Indian team's perspective, the next big assignment is the T20 World Cup in February and preparations before that. The immediate focus will be on sending the best team for the Asia Cup T20 tournament, hoping all players are fit and available," the report quoted a BCCI source as saying.

The Indian cricket board is likely to gauge the mood and public perceptions before taking a call, which is sensitive in nature considering the massive fan following of the two mega stars. The last tournament that they played was the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai where Kohli scored a ton in a successful chase against Pakistan in the group phase, while Rohit shone with a sublime fifty in the chase during the final, which India won.

Recent Activity: Kohli And Rohit Training, Media Reports On Farewell

But both senior pros have not played any competitive cricket since the conclusion of the Indian Premier League's (IPL) latest edition, in which Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched their maiden title. Kohli, who is now a resident of London, had recently posted an Instagram story after an indoor nets session, which implies that he has started training.

Rohit, who was also in the United Kingdom on a break post IPL, is reportedly back in Mumbai and would certainly be expected to start training in some days.

There are some media reports about BCCI offering the duo a farewell game in Sydney on October 25, but the PTI report quoted a BCCI source as saying that so far, no such discussions have taken place. This adds to the uncertainty about their ODI future and the possibility of a formal send-off match.

Emerging trend: Since 2023, Indian cricketers have increasingly chosen to train abroad during the off-season, with London and Dubai emerging as preferred destinations for private facilities and coaching. Virat Kohli’s London residency follows a pattern seen among several Indian internationals, who cite better privacy and access to specialised trainers.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has reported a 15% rise in overseas professional cricketers using UK club facilities between 2022 and 2024. Meanwhile, the BCCI has not formalised any policy on farewell matches for senior players, with the last official send-off organised for Sachin Tendulkar in 2013 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

Upcoming ODI Fixtures: Vijay Hazare Trophy, South Africa, New Zealand Series

As for playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the report quoted the source as stating that the national one-day championship starts on December 24, 2025 and even before that, there is one more three-match ODI series at home against South Africa, starting November 30.

"Even if they play Vijay Hazare, before that there would already be six ODIs that will be played. In between the Australia ODIs and the South Africa ODIs, there is an India A series against South Africa A where three List A games (50 overs) will be held at Rajkot on November 13, 16 and 19 respectively.

"Now, will the duo want to play those three A games, or possibly two, before the South Africa series is the question. Even more important is whether Ajit Agarkar and his colleagues would want that," the source said. "Overlapping the Vijay Hazare Trophy (December 24, 2025 - January 18, 2026) will be the three ODIs between India and New Zealand (January 11, 14, 18). So even if they play the Vijay Hazare Trophy, it can't be for more than two to three games," he added.

The Vijay Hazare Trophy overlap with India's international commitments may limit the participation of key players in domestic matches, potentially affecting team compositions and player workloads. Additionally, the India A series against South Africa A offers an opportunity for fringe players to showcase their talents ahead of the senior team's engagements.

(With PTI inputs)