Rohit & Virat Likely to Feature in India A vs Australia A ODIs

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have already said goodbye to T20Is and Test cricket, and now their full focus is on the 2027 ODI World Cup. The two veterans want to finish their careers on a memorable high. But the path won’t be easy, as India doesn’t have too many ODIs lined up before the big tournament in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. In fact, Rohit and Kohli will only get nine ODIs to play until January 2026. Their next chance in international cricket will come in July next year, when India tour England for a three-match ODI series.

Recently, reports claimed that Rohit and Virat Kohli might play their last ODI series against Australia in October this year, and the management might look past them for the 50-over format. It was also reported that Rohit and Kohli might be asked to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy if they harbour dreams of prolonging their careers and playing the World Cup.

There’s no official word on this yet, but it will be interesting to see how the two legends shape the next phase of their careers. Both Rohit and Virat have already started preparing for the upcoming tour of Australia. Virat is training in London, while Rohit is putting in the effort in Mumbai.

They’ve also completed their pre-season fitness tests. Rohit took his Yo-Yo test at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, while Virat’s fitness tests were reportedly carried out in London.

Rohit and Virat’s Road to the 2027 ODI World Cup

Former South African batter Daryll Cullinan, in a chat with Hindustan Times, gave a rather serious take. He stressed that top players need to keep playing competitive cricket regularly if they want to stay sharp both in mind and body for the ODI format.

"Well, I think from an ability and experience point of view, they could play, I don't think there's any doubt in that, but they'd have to be on the ground of international cricket. If I were the coach or convener of selectors, because no matter how good you are, thinking that you can just play a few games or select a few games, not put in the hours and then step in and think you're going to perform, no, that doesn't work that way," he said.

The Vijay Hazare Trophy is set to take place in December-January, and it’s still unclear whether Rohit and Virat will take part in it before the three-match ODI series against New Zealand. If the two are serious about playing as much cricket as they can, they might also look at joining the ‘India A’ series. Many believe that both should play in the India A vs Australia A ODI series in Kanpur later this year.

Cullinan: Rohit and Virat must play more cricket to stay ready for the future

Former South Africa batter Daryll Cullinan agrees with this view, saying Rohit and Virat must play plenty of competitive cricket to stay sharp and prepared for the future.

"So it's a bit of a catch-22, I'm not saying they need to be on the circuit all the time, but they need to have played a serious amount of cricket, especially going into the World Cup, so they're in the right physical, mental frame of mind, the grind of international cricket, being fit, then I would say yes, but anything less than that I'd say no, India move on, because that certainly doesn't work, and that's in my view," said Cullinan.

"They need to be playing quality cricket for the next two years! Far more cricket than less cricket," he added. "Yes, Gill for captaincy, irrespective of whether Rohit is playing,"he said.

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