Australia’s skipper Pat Cummins believes that the upcoming India vs Australia ODI series could mark the end of an era the final Australian tour for Indian stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The veteran pacer, currently sidelined with a back injury, shared his thoughts on JioHotstar, suggesting that fans Down Under may be witnessing the two Indian legends for the last time on Australian soil.
“Virat and Rohit have been part of almost every Indian side for the last 15 years, so this might be the last chance for the Australian public to see them playing out here. They’ve obviously been champions of the game for India and are always very well supported. Whenever we play them, the crowd gets loud,” said Cummins.
Although Cummins will miss the white-ball leg of India’s tour due to injury, he believes this ODI series holds special significance. Both Kohli and Rohit have already announced their retirement from Test and T20I cricket, yet were named in India’s squad for the three-match ODI series beginning Sunday. Their performances could determine their roles in the team’s roadmap for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
Kohli and Rohit’s ODI records in Australia
Kohli’s ODI career remains phenomenal he has amassed 14,181 runs in 302 matches at an average of 57.88 and a strike rate of 93.34, including 51 centuries and 74 half-centuries, making him the third-highest run-scorer in ODI history. In Australian conditions, he has excelled even further, scoring 2,451 runs in 50 ODIs at an average of 54.46, with eight centuries to his name.
Rohit Sharma’s record is equally outstanding. The Indian captain has piled up 11,168 runs in 273 ODIs at an average of 48.76, registering 32 hundreds and 58 fifties. On Australian turf, he has been remarkably consistent, scoring 2,407 runs in 46 matches at an impressive average of 57.31, also with eight centuries.
Both players were instrumental in India’s recent Champions Trophy triumph, where Rohit led the team to victory. However, in a strategic shift aimed at building for the future, Shubman Gill has replaced Rohit as India’s new ODI captain ahead of the upcoming series.
Cummins on missing the series
Expressing disappointment at missing out, Cummins said:
“It’s a shame to miss the white-ball series against India. I think the crowds are going to be huge. There’s already a lot of excitement built up here in Australia. So, whenever you miss a game, it’s disappointing. But missing a big series like this is always a bit harder to take.”
The Australian captain’s absence adds another twist to an already high-profile series. He is also racing against time to recover for the first Ashes Test against England in November. The last ODI series between the two teams in Australia ended in a 1-2 defeat for India, who struggled post-COVID in a high-scoring contest but managed to avoid a clean sweep.
India’s ODI Squad for Australia Series
Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.
Australia’s ODI Squad for India Series
Mitchell Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.
