India’s white-ball tour to Australia begins on Sunday and, even with a T20 World Cup only months away, the focus is far greater on the one-day internationals with one big question hanging over the series – will this be the end of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma?
The 2026 edition of the T20 World Cup will be cohosted by holders India and Pakistan in February and March, but Kohli and Rohit, who played large roles in the victory at the 2024 edition, have retired from the format, along with the Test game.
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The next 50-over Cricket World Cup will be cohosted by South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in October and November 2027, which has long left the question as to whether Kohli and Rohit, 36 and 38 respectively, will be able to reach one more global event for India.
Boasting almost 600 ODIs between them, Kohli and Rohit are now in the spotlight as to whether they have an international future beyond the three-match series, which begins in Perth on Sunday.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the situation and the series as a whole.
When did Kohli and Rohit last play for India?
The pair last played for India in the Champions Trophy final in March in which they beat New Zealand, with Rohit relinquishing the captaincy after the game.
What has been said about Kohli and Rohit’s India futures?
The 2027 World Cup dream appeared slim with head coach Gautam Gambhir tight-lipped when asked this week whether the duo might continue on under new captain Shubman Gill when he leads the ODI squad for the first time in Australia.
Gambhir said he was refusing to look that far even if he does not doubt their quality, while India appear eager to control a transition rather than be caught in its throes.
“Look, the 50-over World Cup is still two-and-a-half years away, and I think it is very important to stay in the present,” Gambhir, who oversaw the completion of the Test series victory against West Indies on Tuesday, told reporters.
“Obviously, they are quality players, they are coming back, their experience is going to be a handful in Australia as well.
“Hopefully, those two guys will have a successful tour, and more importantly, as a team, we will have a successful series.”
Rohit, who captained India to the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, will be 40 by the next edition of the 50-over showpiece.
Kohli, who was part of India’s World Cup-winning 2011 squad, may have the better chance being two years younger.
Brace yourselves…they’re 𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙄𝙣 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙨 🔥
Rohit Sharma 🤝 Virat Kohli
🎥 Watch on loop as the duo gears up for #AUSvIND 💪 #TeamIndia | @ImRo45 | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/u99yHyFfwJ
Are Kohli and Rohit the only World Cup doubts for India?
The future is also uncertain for all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who turns 37 in December.
Jadeja was part of the recent Champions Trophy-winning squad but has been dropped from the 50-overs squad for Australia.
Jadeja still hopes to play the next World Cup and defused any drama that usually trails big-name omissions, saying his axing has been explained to him.
“It is a good thing that they communicated the reason behind my omission,” Jadeja said during the second Test against West Indies.
“But whenever I get a chance next, I will try and do what I have done all these years.
“Winning a World Cup is everyone’s dream. We had narrowly missed out the last time, the next time we will try and make up for it.”
Are Australia ready for India, with or without Kohli and Rohit?
If Australia is to be Kohli and Rohit’s last taste of international cricket, it will be in front of crowds packed with fans from the country’s booming Indian communities in Perth, Adelaide (October 23) and Sydney (October 25).
A number of Test players in the Australia squad, including batter Travis Head and veteran pacemen, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, will use the series to loosen up for the Ashes, which looms large over this series.
The first Ashes Test against England starts in Perth on November 21 and runs through to the fifth Test in Sydney, which starts on January 3.
It will be Starc’s first start in international cricket in the Australasian summer, having retired from T20s.
What is the latest injury news for Australia and captain Cummins?
Marnus Labuschagne, a late call-up to replace injured all-rounder Cameron Green, will hope to convert his hot red-ball form into white-ball runs to continue building his case for an Ashes recall.
Labuschagne was dropped from the Test side for the tour of West Indies but has roared back into contention with centuries in his last two Sheffield Shield matches for Queensland.
Cricket Australia said on Friday that Green had been ruled out of the ODI series after having “low grade side soreness” in training and would likely return to play in Shield cricket.
The all-rounder joins Pat Cummins on the sidelines, with the regular skipper struggling to shake off lower back bone stress which has put him in doubt for the start of the Ashes.
Australia will also be without regular wicketkeeper Alex Carey for the Perth opener against India, along with spinner Adam Zampa.
Josh Philippe will be behind the stumps, while left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann gets a rare chance in the one-day side in Zampa’s absence.
Source: Aljazeera
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