Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli prove worth again before Gambhir & Agarkar discuss ODI future

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will organise a meeting between India’s two senior-most batters, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir. Although it’s pretty clear Rohit and Kohli are targeting the ODI World Cup 2027, no official communication has been made between them and the board.

BCCI to have future chat with Rohit-Kohli

Given that the ICC tournament, hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, is still 22 months away, the BCCI can’t draw out a plan just now. That’s why they want everyone on the same page. Workload management, role clarity, expectations, form, and availability outside international cricket: these will be the talking points. The BCCI also wants to have backups ready for Rohit and Kohli, in case either of them is unavailable for the ODI World Cup.

Image Credit: AP Photo/Ajit Solanki via Alamy

Having won the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy, the senior pros wish to lift the most coveted prize in cricket. Thereby, ending their careers on a high note. However, it seems the board doesn’t view that matter in the same light. Previously, Agarkar had claimed that Rohit and Kohli were ‘non-committal’ when it comes to the ODI World Cup. There are some doubts over their Australian performance. While Rohit scored one fifty and a hundred, and Kohli got a half-century in the last game, India lost.

Veterans show mettle in Ranchi

Increasing age and declining performance go hand in hand. That’s why BCCI wants to take things series by series. One doesn’t know what Agarkar and Gambhir wish to discuss. But booting either of them out doesn’t really seem like an option. In the Ranchi ODI, Rohit and Kohli were India’s best batters by quite some distance.

Some doubted Kohli in Australia, but the former India captain played one of his finest ODI knocks. We saw newfound aggression in Kohli’s game, especially against spin. Only once has he struck more sixes in an innings. Rohit looked on his way towards a big score as well, but the invariable bounce didn’t let that happen. Still, he managed to break a few records with his 57-run knock.

Image Credit: AP Photo/Christopher Pike via Alamy

Such was the performance that many probably forgot that India didn’t have Shubman Gill or Shreyas Iyer in the team. Kohli’s aggression was mentioned above, but he’s not the only one making improvements and evolving. Rohit has lost over 10 kg since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 ended.

It almost looks like we’ve travelled 10 years back. One criticism of Rohit for the last few years was his inability to play those famous long innings. He’s taken a step towards it by shedding weight. As for Kohli, he trains four times a week in London. The drive and hunger are still there. And most importantly, the runs are flowing, as proven in Ranchi.

Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli’s (potential) schedule

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