Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma sticking to Indian cricket like a Sore Thumb? Shane Watson drops truth bomb

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson couldn't hide his admiration for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after India's sensational triumph in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. With the Men in Blue lifting the trophy for a record third time, speculation was rife about whether this would be the last dance for the legendary duo Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in ODI cricket.

Indeed, the Indian batsmen had retired from T20I cricket soon after winning the T20 World Cup 2024, so fans were not prepared for the same heartbreak. Fortunately, Rohit and Kohli shut down all retirement talks in a grand fashion after lifting the Champions Trophy in Dubai.

Shane Watson hails Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s dominance

And Watson was in awe of how both Indian stalwarts raised their game when it mattered most, especially when the doubters called for their retirement from the game. He mentioned how Kohli once again proved why he remains one of the finest chasers the game has ever seen.

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The former Australian all-rounder also praised Rohit’s vintage knock in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final, where the Indian skipper dismantled New Zealand’s formidable bowling attack with sheer class and dominance to lead the side to the title triumph in Dubai last week.

Shane Watson was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times, “My personal opinion is those guys are still batting incredibly well. So, Virat, how well he batted during the tournament, the runs he got, he still is the best chaser that's ever played the game of ODI cricket. And we saw how well he's batting. And Rohit, in the final, that was a wonderful innings against the New Zealand bowling attack. He batted; that's as well as I've seen him bat, especially during the Champions Trophy.”

They will keep out the younger guys coming through: Shane Watson

Shutting down the retirement chatter, Watson has emphasized that when players of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s caliber continue to perform at such an elite level, there’s no reason to think about their replacements just yet.

He insisted that the younger generation will have to wait their turn because these two batting giants are far from done, considering their energy and fire.

The Aussie further added, “So, look, if those guys are still batting as well as they are, and they still feel the energy and the fire still burning so brightly to play for India, then absolutely, that will keep out the younger guys coming through because they're that good.”

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Shane Watson says youngsters will have to do extraordinary things to replace Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli

The former RCB and CSK all-rounder also mentions that both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma know how to perform under pressure, and they proved it in the recent ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and they delivered when India needed it the most in the knockouts.

He suggested the youngsters do extraordinary things if they really want to break the doors; otherwise, they don’t have any chance to replace Kohli and Rohit.

Watson signed off by saying, “If those guys want to keep playing, then it's just the younger guys who are coming through; then they need to really bash down the door. And the only way to do that is to score a crazy amount of runs and do extraordinary things if they want to even try and push their way into that Indian team.”