As India prepares to face New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai, the match holds significance beyond the silverware. It may well mark the last time we see the iconic duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli together in ODI cricket.
With the next ODI World Cup over two and a half years away, questions linger about the futures of these two giants, aged 37 and 36, respectively. It will be hard for these two giants of ODIs to find motivation to play in the bi-lateral series and anyway they are far and few between where ODIs are played.
Bi-lateral series mostly have test matches and T20Is. ODIs have become the least favourite format for some time now. People take interest in ODIs during the ICC tournaments only.
Rohit Sharma: A Leader’s Farewell?
Rohit Sharma will be on the wrong side of 40 when the 2027 ODI World Cup starts, so chances of him carrying on until the world cup is very slim. Rohit Sharma still rues the chance of not being part of a ODI world cup winning team. The heartbreak of losing the 2023 World Cup final still weighs on him, as does the memory of missing out on the 2011 World Cup squad. But it would be too much of a stretch for him to be playing until the next World Cup.
For Rohit, tomorrow’s final presents the perfect stage for a grand farewell. Leading India to victory in an ICC tournament would be a poetic conclusion to his illustrious ODI career, echoing his graceful exit as T20I captain. While selectors might focus on nurturing young talent for the next World Cup, Rohit would undoubtedly prefer leaving on his own terms, and a triumph tomorrow could seal his legacy as one of India’s greatest leaders.
Virat Kohli: A Few More Miles to Go?
Virat Kohli’s story takes a slightly different trajectory. At 38 by the next World Cup, his unparalleled fitness could see him soldier on. However, motivation will be the key factor. Kohli has already tasted World Cup glory and, unlike Rohit, does not carry the burden of unfulfilled dreams in this regard. Virat Kohli may be nurturing ambition of breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 centuries. And that may keep him going.
This tournament has seen Kohli rediscover his vintage form, rekindling memories of his prime. However, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 international centuries seems increasingly distant. For him to break Sachin’s record, he would need to be at his absolute best. It would be hard to expect that at his age. Moreover it can not be assumed that his ODI form will translate into the test matches as the two formats are quite differnt. With 18 centuries still needed and fewer ODIs on the horizon, achieving this feat require him to rediscover his peak form in test matches as well. Considering his struggles in test matches for last 5 years, it does not inspire much confidence that he can go back to his peak form in test matches.
In last 5 years (2020-25), Virat has scored only 11 centuries across the 3 formats. In the previous 5 years (2015-20), when he was at the peak of his powers, he scored 40 centuries but that included 22 centuries in ODIs in 96 matches. Considering there are 2 and half years left until the next world cup and assuming that Virat returns to his peak form, he can score 20 centuries at his peak hundred hitting form which would take him beyond 100 centuries. But the big factor is 96 ODI games that he played between 2015 and 2020, there is no chance that India will play ODIs at that rate. And whatever ODIs India will play until the next year, Virat Kohli is likely to miss lot of them as India would like to give chance to youngsters in order to prepare them for the next world cup. So it is highly unlikely that Virat would achieve the feat that Sachin did.
However, it still feels like Virat is not done yet, he still looks as hungry as ever. And he may carry on for some more time.
So we may see Virat for some more time in ODIs but it is unlikely that Rohit will. It is almost certain that we are seeing Rohit and Virat for the last time together in this ICC Champions trophy final, whether we see Virat for some more time, we will know soon, may be as early as tomorrow.
