Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli asked, 'How will you keep yourself motivated?': 'Should have said we won't play ODIs, T20Is'

Is the end near for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma? What looked like a done deal a few days back is now nowhere certain. The two Indian stalwarts looked set to remain in the ODI scheme of things till the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, according to a Dainik Jagran report, there is a sword hanging over the duo, and both batters might potentially call it quits in their international career after the three-match ODI series against Australia. The report states that Rohit and Virat might be asked to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy if they harbour the dreams of playing the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will return to action in the series against Australia(AFP Images)

Former India opening batter Aakash Chopra believes RoKo said goodbye to the wrong format (Tests), as it would have been ideal if they had called it quits in the white-ball formats. Rohit and Kohli announced their T20I retirements on the same day as India's T20 World Cup win in June 2024.

The two senior India batters then witnessed dwindling returns in Tests in the series against New Zealand and Australia. Eventually, Rohit and Kohli announced their Test retirement before the squad announcement for the England series. Having witnessed a heartbreak in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, it is clear that the two players want to go out on the ultimate high after winning the next 50-over tournament.

However, Chopra asked some tough questions, such as how Virat and Rohit will get enough game time and keep themselves motivated, as there are only limited ODIs scheduled until the next IPL.

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“The duo said goodbye to the wrong format. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli suddenly decided to bid adieu to Test cricket. They said they will only play ODIs now. This is my problem. I'll tell you why. Test cricket is the toughest format. White-ball cricket is monotonous, but the same is not the case for Tests. Tests are the toughest, while ODIs are the easiest when it comes to batters. There is relatively no pressure,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“If you are playing just six ODIs in a year, then there are just six days of game time for you. How will you stay motivated? How will you prepare? How will you stay fit and stay in the best shape? This is what I'm thinking. You should have said that I'll not play ODIs and T20Is, but I'll play Tests. Consider that you had played the series against England, you would have played for 25 days. Then you would get the series against West Indies and South Africa,” he added.

Virat, Rohit won't play the Vijay Hazare Trophy

Aakash Chopra further said that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli won't play the Ranji Trophy due to their Test retirements. Hence, it would be really difficult for them to stay in the groove because of the limited game time.

“If you were playing Tests, and somehow there was a gap, you can always play Ranji Trophy. You can play county cricket. If you play the longest format, you stay in the game. When you leave Tests, obviously, you wouldn't go to play Ranji Trophy. What's the point of playing Ranji and county when one has retired from Tests?,” said Chopra.

However, the former India opener was also quick to dismiss the reports of the duo being asked to play Vijay Hazare Trophy, saying he is confident that the two batters won't do so.

“The chatter about playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the tournament will happen in December. What's the point? There are nine ODIs for India till the next IPL. That's about it. Just nine days of cricket action for you. You're not playing at all. You're not practising,” said Chopra.

“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli don't have to play Vijay Hazare Trophy, they wouldn't be selected based on their performance in the tournament, let's be honest about this. It's bogus talk. If they had played Tests and left ODIs, staying in the groove would have been easier,” he added.

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