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India batting great Rohit Sharma reflected on his long-standing batting partnership with batting legend Virat Kohli after the duo scripted another milestone during India's third ODI against England at Lord's. Speaking to BCCI.tv after the match, the India opener praised the understanding he shares with Virat Kohli, saying their years of playing together have helped them build one of the most successful partnerships in international cricket.
The comments came after Rohit and Kohli stitched together another crucial stand in the series decider. Although India eventually lost the match by 27 runs while chasing 388 and surrendered the three-match ODI series 2-1, the experienced pair once again showed why they have been the backbone of India's batting for well over a decade. Also, Rohit Sharma broke his silence on the ODI retirement noise after his Lord's century.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma script history in Lord's ODI
The Lord's ODI turned into another memorable chapter in the careers of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as the duo played their 400th international match together, becoming the first Indian pair and only the sixth pair in international cricket history to achieve the landmark. Together, they have represented India in 234 ODIs, 106 T20Is and 60 Tests.
Only five pairs have featured together in more international matches than Rohit and Kohli. Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene lead the list with 550 matches, followed by Tillakaratne Dilshan and Jayawardene (426), Sangakkara and Dilshan (418), Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan (408), and South Africa's Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher (407). Rohit and Kohli have now reached the 400-match milestone, moving ahead of Indian greats Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, who played 391 internationals together.
The pair also delivered with the bat at Lord's. Chasing a daunting target of 388, Rohit Sharma hammered 71 off 48 balls, while Kohli contributed 38 off 38 deliveries in their partnership of 113 runs for the second wicket off just 86 balls, putting India in a strong position before England fought back to secure a victory and clinch the series.
Overall, Rohit Sharma scored 138 runs off 110 balls, with 17 fours and 5 sixes, while Kohli slammed 74 runs off 60 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes.
"We've played our entire career together" - Rohit Sharma on Virat Kohli
Looking back at his partnership with Virat Kohli, Rohit said their understanding has developed naturally over the years because they have spent virtually their entire international careers batting alongside each other. He also revealed that constant communication in the middle has always been a key part of their successful partnerships.
"We've played our entire career together, so, you know, it was nice to have him in the middle. You know, we've had a lot of partnerships. It's always fun batting together. We understand each other so much," Rohit Sharma stated.
"And yeah, it's always nice in the middle, bouncing off ideas, try and see what we can do. So there was a lot of conversation that was going around in between when we were batting."
"Yeah, look, I love playing in England" - Rohit Sharma
Rohit also spoke about his love for batting in England, a country where he has consistently produced impressive ODI performances over the years. The century at Lord's was another reminder of his success in English conditions. Across 30 ODIs in England, Rohit has scored 1,603 runs at an outstanding average of 64.12, including eight centuries and seven half-centuries, making him one of the most successful visiting batters in the country.
"Yeah, look, I love playing in England. There's no doubt about it. The atmosphere, the ground, the pitches. You know, when you turn up here to play any sort of format, it challenges you in different ways. And that's what as a cricketer you want. You want to be challenged all the time. And yeah, I had my time in the middle," Rohit Sharma said.
"I enjoyed it. But again, like I said, a little disappointed with the result. We couldn't, you know, finish off the game and get the result in our favor. But yeah, we have to move on from this and try and see how we can, you know, get better and see what better we can do as a group. Not just individuals. It's about, you know, the group, the collective effort from the group is needed. And that's what I think the team should be focusing on."
