Home
Veteran Australia pacer Pat Cummins talked about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's ODI future. However, Cummins is sidelined from the upcoming white-ball series against India due to a back injury, but he strongly feels that it will be Virat and Rohit's last Australia tour.
Australia tour to be Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma last dance?
Cummins stated that this tour might very well be the last time the Australian public gets to see Virat and Rohit playing Down Under. Both players have already announced their retirement from Test and T20I cricket but were selected for the three-match ODI series, which is set to begin on Sunday.
“Virat and Rohit have been part of almost every Indian side for the last 15 years, so this might be the last chance for the Australian public to see them playing out here. They’ve obviously been champions of the game for India and are always very well supported. Whenever we play them, the crowd gets loud,” Cummins said on JioHotstar.
The upcoming ODI series against Australia carries an added layer of relevance due to the participation of the two Indian stalwarts, Virat and Rohit. Their performances in these matches could provide a strong indication of their future status and selection prospects in the Men in Blue's ODI team for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa.
ALSO READ: Big setback for Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma ahead of India vs Australia ODI series
Meanwhile, Cummins expressed his disappointment about having to sit out the entire white-ball series against India, which includes both the ODIs and the five T20Is. The Australian captain is currently focusing on his fitness, as he is also in danger of missing the high-voltage first Test of the Ashes series against England in November.
“It’s a shame to miss the white-ball series against India. I think the crowds are going to be huge. There’s already a lot of excitement built up here in Australia. So, whenever you miss a game, it’s disappointing. But missing a big series like this is always a bit harder to take,” he added.
The last time Team India played an ODI series in Australia, they suffered a 1-2 defeat. Coming out of the COVID-19 lockdown, the Men in Blue struggled in what was a high-scoring series, though they managed to avoid a complete whitewash.
ALSO READ: Star-studded commentary panel for India vs Australia white-ball series announced
Kohli currently holds a phenomenal ODI record, having scored 14,181 runs in 302 matches at an average of 57.88 and a strike rate of 93.34. His monumental tally includes 51 centuries and 74 half-centuries, placing him third on the all-time run-scorers list. When playing on Australian soil, Kohli has maintained his elite form, accumulating 2,451 runs in 50 ODIs at an average of 54.46, featuring eight centuries.
Meanwhile, Rohit also boasts an exceptional record, with 11,168 runs in 273 ODIs at an average of 48.76, including 32 centuries and 58 fifties. Rohit’s performance in Australia is particularly strong; he has scored 2,407 runs in 46 games at an impressive average of 57.31, also registering eight hundreds.
The Kohli-Rohit duo played a crucial role in India's recent Champions Trophy triumph, with Rohit Sharma successfully captaining the side to victory. However, in a significant change, Shubman Gill has replaced Rohit Sharma as India's new ODI captain ahead of the upcoming Australian ODIs, a decision clearly made with the long-term goal of building the team for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa.
India's ODI squad for Australia series:
Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar
Australia's ODI squad for India series:
Mitchell Marsh (C), Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa
ADVERTISEMENT
