Ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes ageing stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will rebound throughout ODI sequence.
Printed On 22 Oct 2025
India’s former captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma shouldn’t be written off after their group’s seven-wicket loss to Australia within the first of three one-day internationals, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting mentioned on Tuesday.
After Sunday’s defeat in Perth, the three-match sequence strikes to Adelaide on Thursday earlier than concluding in Sydney on Saturday.
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Kohli and Rohit, who retired from the sport’s different codecs, now function solely within the 50-over cricket. With the 2027 World Cup in thoughts, the pair returned to motion on Sunday for the primary time since lifting the Champions Trophy in March.
Neither appeared convincing towards Australia’s tempo bowlers, with Rohit edging Josh Hazlewood to second slip on eight and Kohli chopping Mitchell Starc to a diving Cooper Connolly at backward level for a duck.
Nevertheless, Ponting is assured the pair will quickly rediscover their contact.
“You don’t write off champion gamers ever. These two have been among the many greatest, and whereas I’ve mentioned earlier than that Virat’s one of the best 50-over participant I’ve ever seen, you don’t write them off,” Ponting mentioned on the ICC Overview podcast.
“They’ll discover a strategy to contribute and win video games for his or her group, and in the event that they do this, they’ll most certainly be in that World Cup group in 2027. I’d anticipate to see each these guys bounce again into it fairly shortly.
“Adelaide is a superb place to bat and an excellent place to play cricket. However it received’t be simple for the truth that they’re dealing with among the greatest white-ball bowlers which have ever performed the sport.”
Ravi Shastri, who coached Rohit and Kohli throughout their peak years, mentioned few perceive higher how revered the pair are in India and overseas, and that they might not threat their legacy by enjoying on too lengthy.
“The contribution is over a decade, decade and a half within the case of Virat,” Shastri mentioned. “It’s particular. Whether or not they end tomorrow or they end the day after or each time. That legacy will stay.”
