‘Said goodbye to the wrong format’: Rohit, Kohli asked ‘how will they stay motivated’ till 2027 WC by ex-IND cricketer

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma likely to retire soon, believes Aakash Chopra. (Photo: BCCI)

Is Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's time coming to an end? What a few days ago appeared to be a done deal is now far from assured. Up until the 2027 ODI World Cup, the two Indian mainstays appeared destined to stay in the ODI scheme of things.

But a Dainik Jagran report claims that there is a sword looming over the duo and that both batters may decide to retire from international cricket following the three-match ODI series against Australia.

According to the report, if Rohit and Virat have aspirations of competing in the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, they may be asked to compete in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra feels that RoKo bid farewell to the incorrect format (Tests), as it would have been preferable if they had retired from the white-ball formats. The announcement of Rohit and Kohli's T20I retirements came with India's June 2024 victory in the T20 World Cup.

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The two senior India batters endured a dip in Test form during the series against New Zealand and Australia. Ahead of the England series squad announcement, Rohit and Kohli declared their retirement from the format. After the heartbreak of losing the 2023 ODI World Cup final, it’s evident they are determined to finish on a high by winning the next 50-over showpiece.

Chopra did, however, pose some challenging queries, such as how Virat and Rohit will maintain their motivation and receive adequate playing time given the little number of ODIs left 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.

Aakash Chopra added that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will not participate in the Ranji Trophy because they have retired from Test cricket. Because of the short playing duration, it would be extremely challenging for them to stay in the groove.

“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.

The former India opener, however, was also quick to deny rumors that the two batsmen would be asked to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, stating that he is certain they won't.

“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.