Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma ODI retirement- BCCI warns Gautam Gambhir to stay away

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has put an end to speculation regarding the ODI future of senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli amid the England-India Test series. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla confirmed that they remain available for selection in ODIs despite their Test retirements.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stepped away from T20Is after India’s title win at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. Both players also retired from Test cricket in May ahead of India’s ongoing series against England. They will be eyeing a place in India’s squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

We Also Miss Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli - Rajeev Shukla

Amid ongoing speculation over the ODI futures of Rohit Sharma and Virat, Rajeev Shukla revealed the BCCI's stance. Speaking to ANI, Shukla stated that both players remain available for selection in the ODI format.

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"I want to make it very clear once and for all... It's a good thing for us that they are available for one-day cricket," Shukla commented.

Shukla also refuted claims that Rohit and Virat were pressured into retiring from Test cricket. He clarified that both players made their own decisions. The BCCI vice-president emphasized that the BCCI does not interfere with a player’s choice regarding retirement.

"We also miss Rohit and Virat. But Rohit and Virat have taken this decision on their own. BCCI has a very strict policy that we don't tell any player when or from which format they should retire. It is up to the players, and the duo made their own decision to quit Test cricket. We will always miss them; they are great batters," Shukla added.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Had Poor Outings in BGT 2024-25

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli endured underwhelming performances during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 against Australia. India suffered a 3-1 series defeat and failed to qualify for the World Test Championship final.

Rohit missed the opening Test to be with his family for the birth of his son. After returning for the next three matches, he failed to make an impact, scoring just 31 runs across five innings at a dismal average of 6.20. He dropped himself from the playing XI for the final Test in Sydney.

Virat scored an unbeaten 100 in the first Test at Perth but couldn’t replicate that form in the remaining matches. He managed only 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75. Kohli finished as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, amassing 9,230 runs at an average close to 47.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Have Stellar ODI Records

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have stepped away from Test and T20I formats, will now focus solely on ODIs for India. Both players boast exceptional records in one-day internationals for the Men in Blue.

Virat is the third-highest run-scorer in ODI history, with 14,181 runs in 302 matches at an impressive average of 57.88 and a strike rate of 93.34. He has smashed 51 centuries and 74 fifties in the format.

Rohit Sharma has also been a standout performer for India, scoring 11,168 runs in 273 ODIs at an average of 48.76 and a strike rate of 92.80. He has registered 32 centuries and 58 half-centuries.

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