Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's international return delayed - Read why?

Fans of Indian cricket icons Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will have to wait longer for their return to international action. The expected comeback of the two batting stalwarts, who recently announced their Test retirements, has been delayed once again. 

Rohit and Virat exited from Test cricket earlier this year, almost a year after they retired from the T20I format following India’s T20 World Cup win. The dual exits were done especially with an eye on the 2027 World Cup in South Africa. Initially, their return to international cricket was expected during India’s white-ball tour of Bangladesh in August. However, due to political tensions and diplomatic strains between India and Bangladesh, that series was postponed.

Why is Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's international return delayed?

Following which, the BCCI briefly explored the possibility of a white-ball series against Sri Lanka later in August. But those plans have now also been shelved, with Sri Lanka Cricket denying any such series was confirmed. With the India-Sri Lanka white-ball series in August reportedly called off and the earlier Bangladesh tour postponed, their return has now been pushed further, likely until the Australia tour in October 2025.

With the Sri Lanka series off the table, India’s next assignment is the Asia Cup 2025, starting September 9 in the UAE. But even there, neither Rohit nor Kohli is expected to be in action as the tournament is set to be played in a T20 format. Their first possible return now will be during India’s tour of Australia in October, where the Men in Blue are scheduled to play three ODIs and five T20Is.

BCCI to discuss with Rohit-Kohli soon

This break has triggered speculation around the future of the two legends in India’s ODI setup. According to reports, neither Rohit nor Kohli is guaranteed a spot in the 2027 World Cup squad, despite their ambitions. While Kohli shared his ambition to win the ODI World Cup during an RCB event, Rohit is reportedly focusing on fitness, with selectors keen to accelerate the transition phase with younger talent stepping up. The BCCI is likely to hold honest and professional conversations with both players before the next ODI cycle. 

BCCI yet to decide on Rohit and Kohli’s ODI future

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BCCI yet to decide on Rohit and Kohli’s ODI future

"Yes, it will be discussed soon. We still have more than two years for the next World Cup (November 2027). Both Kohli and Rohit will be pushing 40 by then, so there has to be a clear plan ahead for the big event as our last win was in 2011. We also need to try out a few youngsters in time. Look, both Kohli and Rohit have made huge contributions to white ball cricket for the team and the sport in general. They have achieved almost everything. So, I don’t think anybody is going to force their hand, but there will be some honest and professional conversations before the next ODI cycle starts to see where they stand mentally and physically. It depends on that," the source told as quoted by Hindustan Times.