Follow UsFormer India batter Aakash Chopra believes senior pros Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma could find it hard to stay motivated for international cricket, given that India have very few ODIs lined up before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
Kohli and Rohit, two of India’s biggest modern-day batting icons, now play only ODIs after retiring from Tests and T20Is. As of now, the Men in Blue are scheduled to play just three ODIs each against Australia (October), South Africa (November-December), and New Zealand (January 2026) before the IPL begins in March.
“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 on his YouTube channel, as reported by Hindustan Times.
“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 stay 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.”
Both players have expressed their desire to continue until the 2027 ODI World Cup, but reports suggest the selectors are already looking at a transition. They reportedly want Kohli and Rohit to feature in the ‘A’ series against Australia in India before heading Down Under, and may also ask them to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy later this year to prove form and fitness.
“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,” Chopra said.
“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli don't have to play 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.”