In-form Kohli, Rohit go hard in nets ahead of 2nd ODI against South Africa
Nikhil Chopra said that India must execute the plans they make during the upcoming five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in order to win the series.
India will be bolstered by the return of former captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma - both of whom have retired from Test cricket - adding more depth and experience to the side.
India will look to address several lingering selection puzzles when they take on South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday in the first ODI of the three-match series, where Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the set-up for a short audition that could well shape their 2027 World Cup fate.
Former India all-rounder and head coach Ravi Shastri reflected on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's below-par showing in the first ODI against Australia in Perth.
Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar decoded the dismissal of Rohit Sharma and identified that aggression, a forte of the veteran swashbuckler, was his undoing in the first ODI against Australia in Perth at the Optus Stadium on Sunday.
'The 50-over World Cup is still two and a half years away. It is very important to stay in the present.'
With no ODI series in Australia in the next two years, it is impossible to think that the legendary duo will again be seen Down Under in India blues.
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta feels that India's T20I vice-captain Shubham Gill, who is currently struggling to get going in the shortest format, has to play a similar role what Virat Kohli did for so long by consistently holding on to one end.
Rohit Sharma appears ready to silence retirement rumours as he returns to training with renewed focus ahead of India's ODI series against Australia.
After taking a dig at former India skipper Rohit Sharma on his fitness, Congress leader Shama Mohamed, on Wednesday, again sparked controversy, drawing a religious angle to cricketer Sarfaraz Khan's omission from the India and India A squads announced recently by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
After Sunday's defeat in Perth, the three-match series moves to Adelaide on Thursday before concluding in Sydney on Saturday.
The Indian men ruled white-ball cricket, while South Africa ended decades of hurt by winning the World Test Championship at Lord's. Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally lifted their maiden IPL title, though the celebrations were dimmed by a deadly stampede. Above all, it was India's women who won a billion hearts by finally adding an ICC World Cup trophy to the cabinet.
Rohit Sharma became the seventh Indian to complete 100 catches in One-Day Internationals, while young speedster Harshit Rana went level with decorated spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for the record of most wickets for India after a player's first eight ODIs, in the third and last match of the series against Australia, in Sydney, on Saturday.
Ravichandran Ashwin said that while everyone wants Virat Kohli back playing Tests for India, his decision to retire was his choice, and it should be respected.
K L Rahul on Saturday conceded that Indian batters' repeated struggles against spin, especially on home tracks, remain a concern.
Calling it the formal start of Gill's era, Chopra also wondered what the change means for Rohit Sharma, whose place in India's long-term plans could now depend solely on form and fitness.
This happened following India's practice session that saw both India's senior batters hit the nets at the Optus Stadium.
The others to arrive after a delayed flight were K L Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy along with some members of the support staff.
'He doesn't play T20 cricket. So, he will not be a part of the World Cup in 2026 in India. But when they go to 2027 in South Africa, he will be 40 years old. And that's a big number in sport.'
Rohit Sharma climbed to 5th spot on World Cup run-scorers list!
In 55 ODIs, Gill has scored 2,755 runs at an average of 59.04, with eight centuries and 15 fifties and a best score of 208, which he hit against New Zealand back in early 2023 in Hyderabad.
Under Rohit Sharma, India won the 2018 and 2023 ODI Asia Cup, runners-up position in the 2023 World Cup at home and triumphed in the the ICC Champions Trophy in March.
The Indian team's heavy reliance on all-rounders will be tested by a plucky Australia in the second ODI but the spotlight will continue to stay firmly on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom would look to turn back the clock with series-saving knocks in Adelaide on Thursday.
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara on Thursday stressed that each and every bilateral assignment will be "very important" now for stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as India look ahead to the 2027 ODI World Cup.
I won't be able to play freely if I focus on criticism: Harshit Rana
Paying a heartfelt tribute to Rohit Sharma, former India player Dinesh Karthik on Saturday said the swashbuckling opener led from the front and taught the team how to win the big moments and matches that mattered the most during his time as captain.
'When Kohli made himself available for this Australia tour, I believe he will also be available for the 2027 World Cup.'
Sidhu hit back at an X handle for falsely attributing quotes to him.
Former Australian captain Brad Haddin encouraged the Aussie public to go out and watch Indian icons Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action
Virat Kohli confirms his availability for Vijay Hazare Trophy
Indian batter and former ODI skipper Rohit Sharma expressed his excitement for the tour to Australia and how much he loves playing against the current 50-over world champions.
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak dismissed the notion that the senior duo looked rusty, countering suggestions that their preparation had been insufficient.
'Many things that are happening are not good for Indian cricket.'
To be or not to be could well be the dilemma in Shubman Gill's mind as he crisscrosses formats, having tweaked his technique from an unorthodox style to a more classical one that is not quite yielding the returns he may have envisaged in T20 Internationals.
The national selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar, in all likelihood, will select identical squads for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand and the marquee ICC T20 World Cup, a BCCI source said on Friday.
'He has to focus on his performance and helping the team win.'
Rohit Sharma hit an unbeaten century, while Virat Kohli returned to form with a fluent fifty as India cruised to an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the inconsequential third and final ODI against Australia.
'How Rohit has taken the decision to change captain is between him and selection committee', Agarkar added.
Robin Uthappa on Shubman Gill's ODI captaincy, says 'Rohit will be 41 by 2027 World Cup'
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