The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has addressed the recent speculation regarding the ODI future of veteran players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla confirmed that both former Indian captains remain available for selection in the one-day format.
Rohit and Kohli had announced their retirement from T20 Internationals following India’s victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which was jointly hosted by the United States and the West Indies. Earlier this year in May, both players also stepped away from Test cricket ahead of India’s ongoing tour of England, with their retirements announced just days apart.
Amid growing uncertainty about their participation in ODIs—especially with the 2027 ODI World Cup in view—Shukla clarified their current status while speaking to ANI on Tuesday, July 15.
“I want to make it very clear once and for all… It’s a good thing for us that they are available for one-day cricket.”
#WATCH | London, UK | BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla says, "…We are all feeling the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The decision to retire made by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli was their own. It is the policy of BCCI that we never tell any player to retire…We will… pic.twitter.com/4ShzHNG5W3
— ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2025
Shukla also refuted claims that Rohit and Kohli were pressured into retiring from Test cricket. While addressing the media in London, he stated:
“We also miss Rohit and Virat. But Rohit and Virat have taken this decision on their own. BCCI has a very strict policy that we don’t tell any player when or from which format they should retire. It is up to the players, and the duo made their own decision to quit Test cricket. We will always miss them; they are great batters.”
Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli Boast Impressive ODI Records
With their retirements from Test and T20I cricket, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will now represent India exclusively in the ODI format. Both seasoned players have enjoyed outstanding careers in one-day internationals.
Virat Kohli ranks as the third-highest run-scorer in ODI history, having accumulated 14,181 runs in 302 matches at an impressive average of 57.88 and a strike rate of 93.34. His tally includes 51 centuries and 74 fifties.
Rohit Sharma, widely known as the “Hitman,” has featured in 273 ODIs, scoring 11,168 runs at an average of 48.76 and a strike rate of 92.80. His record includes 32 centuries and 58 half-centuries.
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