The return of ODI cricket in October has reignited debate over the future of Indian stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Reports suggest the duo will feature in the ODI series against Australia. However, speculation is growing that it could be their final international outing.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra believes both players retired from the wrong format.
‘They Said Goodbye to the Wrong Format’
Chopra criticised their decision to step away from Test cricket while continuing in ODIs.
“The duo said goodbye to the wrong format. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli suddenly decided to bid adieu to Test cricket. They said they will only play ODIs now. This is my problem. I’ll tell you why. Test cricket is the toughest format. White-ball cricket is monotonous, but the same is not the case for Tests. Tests are the toughest, while ODIs are the easiest when it comes to batters. There is relatively no pressure,” Chopra said in a YouTube video.
Too Few Matches to Stay Motivated
India is set to play only six ODIs before the IPL 2026 season. With neither Rohit nor Kohli active in Tests or T20Is, Chopra doubts they can stay motivated with such a limited schedule.
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“If you are playing just six ODIs in a year, then there are just six days of game time for you. How will you stay motivated? How will you prepare? How will you stay fit and in the best shape? This is what I’m thinking. You should have said that I’ll not play ODIs and T20Is, but I’ll play Tests. Consider that you had played the series against England, you would have played for 25 days. Then you would get the series against West Indies and South Africa,” he explained.
Tests Keep Players Active
The former Kolkata Knight Riders batter said staying in Test cricket would have allowed them to remain competitive through domestic cricket.
“If you were playing Tests, and somehow there was a gap, you could always play the Ranji Trophy. You can play county cricket. If you play the longest format, you stay in the game. When you leave Tests, you wouldn’t go to play the Ranji Trophy. What’s the point of playing Ranji and county when one has retired from Tests?” Chopra said.
No Point in Vijay Hazare Trophy for Selection
Chopra dismissed suggestions that playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy could influence selection.
“The chatter about playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the tournament, will happen in December. What’s the point? There are nine ODIs for India till the next IPL. That’s about it. Just nine days of cricket action for you. You’re not playing at all. You’re not practising,” he remarked.
“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli don’t have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy; they wouldn’t be selected based on their performance in the tournament, let’s be honest about this. It’s bogus talk. If they had played Tests and left ODIs, staying in the groove would have been easier,” he added.
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