With the India-West Indies Test series set to conclude in Delhi, attention has once again turned to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of their much-anticipated return to Australia later this month.
Fans are waiting to see the two stars return to India colors in the upcoming three-match ODI series in Australia, but legendary spinner Anil Kumble has hinted that their time is now up.
Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been the faces of Indian cricket for many years, but now they are entering the final stage of their careers.
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Indian fans await Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma return
Rohit, 38, was recently removed as India’s ODI captain, while Kohli, 36, has stayed out of the limelight since Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the IPL 2025 in June.
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However, the former Indian captains have been named in India’s ODI squads for the upcoming tour of Australia, but what will happen next is unclear. Fans are wondering if they will continue till the ICC World Cup 2027 or if their time in Indian cricket is slowly coming to an end.
India will play nine ODIs before the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 and another 18 before the ICC World Cup 2027. This gives India’s two batting icons chances to prove themselves again, but it also opens the door for new talents as the selectors have already ruled out them being ‘guaranteed’ in the squad.
Anil Kumble urges fans to celebrate Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as their careers approach final stages
Meanwhile, Anil Kumble spoke about how important it is to watch Kohli and Rohit play while they are still here. The former Indian head coach hinted that their careers may be coming to an end and hence the focus should be on celebrating their achievements, without worrying about the future.
Kumble said on JioHotstar during the lunch break on Day 4 of the ongoing second Test between India and West Indies in Delhi: “Let’s just celebrate the two players on the field. They have done so much for Indian cricket over the years. You don’t know if…yes, in their minds they thought about 2027. [World Cup]but that’s still a few years away.
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He further explained, “There are matches; all you have to do is go there and enjoy them, and now that Rohit is no longer the captain, even the burden and responsibility of captaincy is not on him. So it’s just about batting and enjoying every moment they have on the field. I don’t think they need to think too far ahead in terms of 2027. Both these guys have the experience; ideally, you would want that they are part of the alignment, but it’s best played by the year.”
Anil Kumble sees upcoming ODIs as big challenge for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma
The legendary spinner feels that Kohli and Rohit should focus on preparing for the upcoming ODI games, especially keeping the ICC World Cup 2027 in mind, and that will be the ‘challenge’. The former Indian head coach believes that both players are still hungry to win the trophy that eluded them in 2023 at home, losing the trophy to Australia.
Kumble concluded by saying: “They would like to play until the 2027 World Cup and win it – that’s something that hasn’t happened in 2023, with Australia holding the trophy. But like I said, both of these players have been champions, and there will be a lot of people in Australia to see them play.”
