Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will clash when MI takes on RCB on Monday in IPL 2025.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two cricketing stalwarts, continue to be the backbone of Indian cricket, as their recent Champions Trophy victory put them back in the spotlight.
Kohli and Rohit began their international careers almost simultaneously (with a year between them) and have since proven themselves to be world beaters across all formats. Rohit made his international debut in 2007, while Kohli joined the Men in Blue a year later in 2008.
From 2014 until 2023, the partnership was in its heyday but was unable to win an ICC title. However, in recent years, the tide has shifted in their favor as they have won back-to-back ICC crowns, the T20 World Cup 2024 and the Champions Trophy 2025.
A few years ago, the team appeared to have struck a tough patch, with various stories of a rupture between the two; but, throughout same time, they also lauded each other on public venues. Kohli and Rohit have developed a strong bond on the field in recent years, with the two frequently sharing thoughts and celebrating the team's success.
The two will face off in the IPL 2025 when RCB and MI clash on Monday. The match will be played in Mumbai and Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be at one another.
Ahead of that encounter, Virat Kohli talked about his equation with Rohit Sharma and stated that they have a very natural bond because they started their careers roughly simultaneously and have shared thoughts throughout the years.
“I think it's a very natural thing to take place when you play with someone for so long and you share so much of your insight of the game initially, your learning from each other, you're kind of growing in your careers at probably the same time, and you share all kind of queries and questions,” Kohli said in a video posted by RCB.
Kohli also discussed working with Rohit in the leadership group and said that trust made their partnership strong.
“So there's a lot of back and forth that happens and also the fact that, you know, we worked very closely in terms of the leadership for the team, so there were always ideas discussed and more or less, we would end up on the same page in terms of the gut feel of that situation - there is a trust factor and do the job for the team,” he added.
Kohli and Rohit have retired from T20Is after India won the T20 World Cup 2024, however, have shown determination to win more ICC titles for India.
“We have definitely enjoyed our time playing together, so we were able to make our careers long because when we were young, as I said, it was not certain that we would end up playing for 15 years for India. The journey for so long and consistently, very grateful and very happy for all the memories, all the moments that we've shared and continue to do so,” he concluded.
Here is the video: