Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have addressed recent retirement speculations, affirming their commitment to continue playing One Day Internationals (ODIs) for India. Following India’s victory over New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy on March 9, 2025, Rohit Sharma, who played a pivotal role with a match-winning 76 runs, dismissed retirement rumors. He stated, “I’m not going to retire from this format. To make sure that no rumours are spread moving forward.”
Similarly, Virat Kohli emphasized his dedication to Indian cricket, expressing his desire to leave the team in a stronger position for the future. He remarked, “When you leave, you want to leave the team in a better place, I feel we’ve a squad that’s ready to take on the world for the next eight years.”
Both players had retired from T20 Internationals after leading India to a World Cup victory over South Africa in June 2024. Rohit Sharma announced his T20I retirement following the win, stating it was the perfect time to “say goodbye” to the format. Virat Kohli also confirmed his T20I retirement, mentioning that it was time for the next generation to take the T20 game forward.
In summary, despite stepping back from T20Is, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remain committed to contributing to India’s success in ODIs and Tests, with no current plans for retirement from these formats.
