Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from T20Is after the T20 World Cup 2024 triumph.
While the Indian team will continue to rely on the experience and expertise of Rohit and Kohli in ODIs and Tests, it is important to recognize that their careers are approaching the final stages.
Both would want to go out after another high, playing the next ODI World Cup in South Africa. However, Rohit will be 40 and Kohli 39 by 2027.
While the possibility of the two making it to the World Cup squad still exists, veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra believes that the batting stalwarts are not in contention to play the mega event.
Mishra went on to claim that Rohit and Kohli will be done playing for India sooner rather than later.
"In another 2-3 years. Playing the World Cup [2027] looks tough," Mishra said on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube show 'Unplugged' when enquired about Rohit's tentative retirement.
"He has 3-4 years of cricket left, but for India not much. He will retire and continue playing the IPL. Same with Virat Kohli. As it should be. How else will new players get in? One is 37, the other will turn 36 soon. They'll be 38-39 in the next two years. At max, 40. That's usually how long cricketers play," he added.
Recently, Rohit Sharma dismissed the talks around his retirement from the game, saying that everyone would see him playing for a while.
Speaking at an event in Dallas, Rohit said he isn't someone who thinks a lot ahead but a lot is still left in his tank.
"I just said it. I don't do that far ahead. So clearly, you will be seeing me play for a while," Rohit stated and his response received the loudest cheer from the crowd present at the event.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will now shift their focus to ODIs and Tests with big assignments coming up in the next few months. The pair might be rested for the ODI series against Sri Lanka next month.