Kohli and Rohit will make their India return in Australia ODI series starting October 19.
Former cricketing legends Matthew Hayden of Australia and AB de Villiers of South Africa shared their thoughts on the return of veteran batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the Indian team for the upcoming three-match ODI series in Australia.
The three-match ODI series will begin on October 19 in Perth, with the second and third games to be played in Adelaide on October 23 and in Sydney on October 25, respectively.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli last played for India when they won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in March. However, there have been huge changes in the Indian team since then, as both veterans retired from T20Is and Tests, and Shubman Gill replaced Rohit Sharma as India captain in Tests and ODIs.
For former Australian opener Matthew Hayden, the sight of Kohli and Rohit still wearing India's whites remains a reassuring one. He spoke about whether it would be the final tour for Virat Kohli, down under.
"Look, more than likely. But they're going to have their mind's eye on the 2027 World Cup. And so they should. I was kind of surprised, actually, that after the Champions Trophy, Rohit was unpacked as captain. But I also get it. Shubman Gill is being groomed. It takes time to build a leader,” Hayden said at the launch of Test Twenty, a proposed fourth format of the game.
Hayden also drew parallels from his own playing days, when Australia transitioned from legends like Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.
“Having Rohit in the house, having Virat in the house—that's gold. They're not just players; they're mentors in the dugout. I hope it's not their last [tour], but you can't play forever, unfortunately,” Hayden stated.
On the other hand, AB de Villiers was more sentimental in his words, given his closeness to Virat Kohli, who is his former RCB teammate and a friend. He compared him with Tiger Woods, a golf great.
"I'll probably answer in a similar manner as Haydos. I'm just happy we can still see them play competitive cricket. They know what they still want to achieve—and as Hayden alluded to, that 2027 World Cup is probably the main target.
I'm one of those guys who takes what I can get. If Tiger Woods comes back and makes a few shots, I'm just happy he's playing. Same with these two. I just wish them all the success and a fantastic end to their careers, whenever that may finish,” De Villiers stated.
(NDTV inputs)