Virat Kohli keeps BCCI in dark, ODI retirement on the cards?

Team India ODI skipper Rohit Sharma, who now focuses on limited-overs cricket, is reportedly set to return to the nets at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for a pre-season fitness test. Notably, this will be the 38-year-old batter’s first appearance at the CoE since retiring from Test cricket.

Rohit Sharma last featured in competitive cricket during IPL 2025. Mumbai Indians (MI) were eliminated after losing to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 2. The right-handed batter enjoyed a decent season with the bat, scoring more than 400 runs. He is preparing for his next assignment with Team India.

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The players will also go through Dexa Scans to assess bone density, along with routine blood tests as part of the comprehensive fitness evaluation. A BCCI official confirmed to The Indian Express that all centrally contracted players are required to complete these assessments.

“All players have to undergo a pre-season fitness Test, it’s mandatory as per the contract. These tests help the COE understand the areas the players have to work on or where they are lacking. As there was a big break (after the England Test series), the players were given sets of exercises to do at home," the BCCI official stated.

No Update on Virat Kohli’s Fitness Test

However, there’s still no clarity on Virat Kohli, who retired from Test cricket in May 2025. Kohli also retired from T20Is following India’s World Cup triumph in 2024. He has been staying in the UK with his family since the IPL concluded in early June.

Virat Kohli recently shared photos of training in London. Kohli and Sharma played their last international match during the 2025 Champions Trophy. Team India ended a 12-year ICC ODI trophy drought under Sharma’s leadership.

Virat Kohli was the second-highest run-scorer for India in the tournament. He scored 218 runs from five innings at an average of 54.50, while Sharma added 180 runs at an average of 36.00 across five matches.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in Contention for India A ODIs Against Australia A

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli could line up for India A in a three-match ODI series against Australia A, scheduled at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on September 30, October 3, and October 5. The series will be played ahead of Team India’s full-fledged tour of Australia, which kicks off on October 19.

India will play three ODIs and five T20Is, with Perth, Adelaide, and Sydney to host ODIs on October 19, 23, and 25, respectively. Rohit and Kohli haven’t played competitive cricket since IPL 2025.

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket in May 2025 and focused solely on ODIs. The duo can extend their careers up to the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

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