India’s white-ball tour to Australia begins on Sunday and, even with a T20 World Cup solely months away, the main focus is way better on the one-day internationals with one massive query hanging over the collection – will this be the tip of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma?
The 2026 version of the T20 World Cup will likely be cohosted by holders India and Pakistan in February and March, however Kohli and Rohit, who performed giant roles within the victory on the 2024 version, have retired from the format, together with the Check sport.
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The following 50-over Cricket World Cup will likely be cohosted by South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in October and November 2027, which has lengthy left the query as as to if Kohli and Rohit, 36 and 38 respectively, will be capable to attain another world occasion for India.
Boasting virtually 600 ODIs between them, Kohli and Rohit at the moment are within the highlight as to whether or not they have a global future past the three-match collection, which begins in Perth on Sunday.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a better take a look at the scenario and the collection as a complete.
When did Kohli and Rohit final play for India?
The pair final performed for India within the Champions Trophy closing in March wherein they beat New Zealand, with Rohit relinquishing the captaincy after the sport.
What has been stated about Kohli and Rohit’s India futures?
The 2027 World Cup dream appeared slim with head coach Gautam Gambhir tight-lipped when requested this week whether or not the duo would possibly proceed on under new captain Shubman Gill when he leads the ODI squad for the primary time in Australia.
Gambhir stated he was refusing to look that far even when he doesn’t doubt their high quality, whereas India seem keen to regulate a transition somewhat than be caught in its throes.
“Look, the 50-over World Cup continues to be two-and-a-half years away, and I feel it is vitally vital to remain within the current,” Gambhir, who oversaw the completion of the Check collection victory towards West Indies on Tuesday, informed reporters.
“Clearly, they’re high quality gamers, they’re coming again, their expertise goes to be a handful in Australia as properly.
“Hopefully, these two guys can have a profitable tour, and extra importantly, as a crew, we can have a profitable collection.”
Rohit, who captained India to the ultimate of the 2023 ODI World Cup, will likely be 40 by the following version of the 50-over showpiece.
Kohli, who was a part of India’s World Cup-winning 2011 squad, might have the higher likelihood being two years youthful.
Brace yourselves…they’re 𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙄𝙣 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙨 🔥
Rohit Sharma 🤝 Virat Kohli
🎥 Watch on loop because the duo gears up for #AUSvIND 💪 #TeamIndia | @ImRo45 | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/u99yHyFfwJ
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 17, 2025
Are Kohli and Rohit the one World Cup doubts for India?
The longer term can be unsure for all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who turns 37 in December.
Jadeja was a part of the latest Champions Trophy-winning squad however has been dropped from the 50-overs squad for Australia.
Jadeja nonetheless hopes to play the following World Cup and defused any drama that often trails big-name omissions, saying his axing has been defined to him.
“It’s a good factor that they communicated the explanation behind my omission,” Jadeja stated in the course of the second Check towards West Indies.
“However every time I get an opportunity subsequent, I’ll try to do what I’ve carried out all these years.
“Profitable a World Cup is everybody’s dream. We had narrowly missed out the final time, the following time we’ll try to make up for it.”
Are Australia prepared for India, with or with out Kohli and Rohit?
If Australia is to be Kohli and Rohit’s final style of worldwide cricket, it will likely be in entrance of crowds full of followers from the nation’s booming Indian communities in Perth, Adelaide (October 23) and Sydney (October 25).
Quite a few Check gamers within the Australia squad, together with batter Travis Head and veteran pacemen, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, will use the collection to loosen up for the Ashes, which looms giant over this collection.
The primary Ashes Check towards England begins in Perth on November 21 and runs by to the fifth Check in Sydney, which begins on January 3.
Will probably be Starc’s first begin in worldwide cricket within the Australasian summer season, having retired from T20s.
What’s the newest harm information for Australia and captain Cummins?
Marnus Labuschagne, a late call-up to exchange injured all-rounder Cameron Inexperienced, will hope to transform his sizzling red-ball type into white-ball runs to proceed constructing his case for an Ashes recall.
Labuschagne was dropped from the Check facet for the tour of West Indies however has roared again into competition with centuries in his final two Sheffield Defend matches for Queensland.
Cricket Australia stated on Friday that Inexperienced had been dominated out of the ODI collection after having “low grade facet soreness” in coaching and would seemingly return to play in Defend cricket.
The all-rounder joins Pat Cummins on the sidelines, with the common skipper struggling to shake off decrease again bone stress which has put him doubtful for the beginning of the Ashes.
Australia may also be with out common wicketkeeper Alex Carey for the Perth opener towards India, together with spinner Adam Zampa.
Josh Philippe will likely be behind the stumps, whereas left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann will get a uncommon likelihood within the one-day facet in Zampa’s absence.
The ODIs precede a five-match T20I collection beginning in Canberra on October 29 as each nations tune up for the T20 World Cup subsequent yr.
