Former India cricketer Suresh Raina has urged batting icons Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to continue representing India in the ODI format. Amid rising speculation about their future, Raina stressed that the duo’s experience, leadership, and match-winning abilities are crucial for grooming the next generation of players.
Both stalwarts retired from Test cricket earlier this year and have not featured in any international game since leading India to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy triumph. Reports suggest that selectors may phase them out after the October ODI series against Australia, with an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup. At that point, Kohli will be 38 and Rohit 40. However, Raina firmly believes that their presence remains invaluable.
“𝑹𝒐𝒉𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑽𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒋𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒔,” 𝑹𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎 𝑨𝒔𝒊𝒂 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕.
Why Kohli and Rohit Still Matter
Raina pointed to the duo’s impressive records in major tournaments. In the 2025 Champions Trophy, Virat Kohli amassed 218 runs at an average of 54.50, finishing as India’s second-highest scorer behind Shreyas Iyer. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma played a captain’s knock of 76 in the final, guiding India to the title.
“𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒚, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒏 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑪𝒖𝒑𝒔. 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎,” 𝑹𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒅.
According to him, India still lacks consistent options at the crucial No. 1 and No. 3 spots in ODIs—especially in run chases—which strengthens the case for keeping Kohli and Rohit in the squad.
Leadership Beyond Runs
Raina emphasised that both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma offer much more than just runs. Their ability to mentor young talents like Shubman Gill is a huge asset. While Gill has been impressive as an opener, Raina believes that learning from such experienced campaigners will only elevate his game.
Praise for Mohammed Siraj
While discussing India’s cricketing future, Raina also lauded fast bowler Mohammed Siraj for his remarkable performances in the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. The Hyderabad pacer bowled an incredible 187 overs in the series without sustaining any injuries.
“Siraj should be part of the Indian set-up in all three formats, given how he has performed with both the white and red ball,” Raina noted.
The Road Ahead
With the ODI World Cup still two years away, Raina’s message is clear—India needs the experience of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to maintain stability, win big matches, and mentor the next generation. Whether selectors agree with his view remains to be seen, but fans will surely hope to see the two legends in blue for a little longer.
Also Read: My Country, My Identity, My Life!: Indian Cricketers Celebrate 79th Independence Day
