Speculation continues regarding Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's ODI retirement
Duo reportedly asked to play domestic one-dayers to harbour India hopes
Vijay Hazare Trophy starts from December 24, with Mumbai and Delhi both in action
The sublime knocks in Sydney from senior pros Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in their last one-day international appearance are still fresh in cricket lovers' minds. But that hasn't stopped speculation regarding their ODI future, especially with regards to their availability for the 2027 50-over World Cup.
It has now reportedly emerged that the duo has been asked to play domestic cricket so as to continue playing for India. If an Indian Express report is to be believed, Rohit has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association that he is available to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but Virat’s availability is unclear as yet.
“The board and team management have conveyed to both of them that they will have to play domestic cricket if they want to play for India. As they both have retired from two formats, they have to play domestic cricket to be match-fit,” the report quoted sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as saying.
Ajit Agarkar's Stance On 'Ro-Ko'
Selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar had in the recent past highlighted the importance of international cricketers playing domestic cricket. “We made it clear a year, or a couple of years back, that whenever players are available, they should be playing domestic cricket.
"That’s the only way you’ll keep yourself sharp and playing cricket, if you’ve got a long enough break. Whether that’s possible with the international cricket you’re playing or not, only time will tell, but if the guys are free, they should be playing domestic cricket,” he had said.
At the same time, when asked pointedly about Rohit and Kohli's future at an NDTV event in October 2025, Agarkar had said the titans will be "assessed" but it would be "silly" to put them on trial in each and every ODI that they play. "It will be silly to put them on trial for every game. Once they start playing they will be assessed but they are not on trial," Agarkar said.
The first domestic 50-over game where Rohit and Kohli could feature is on December 24 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Kohli's home team Delhi face Andhra, while Rohit's Mumbai take on Sikkim in their respective openers. Rohit and Kohli have both retired from Tests as well as T20Is, and the ODI format is the only one where they continue to ply their trades.
