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The ODI series that began with plenty of uncertainty around Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ended with all smiles and a bonhomie that was hard to miss.
At the team hotel, after cutting a cake on arrival, Yashasvi Jaiswal shared a piece with Kohli, who insisted that the first bite should go to Rohit. Having put an intense effort to improve his fitness in recent months – the signs of which were clearly visible on the field as he put in a diving effort that brought the roof down in Visakhapatnam – Rohit’s spontaneous response was, “Mai mota ho jayuga ye khake (I will get fat after eating this),” leaving Kohli in splits. The rest would join the laughter as in the space of a week, all seems well in Indian cricket.
When the two seniors arrived in Ranchi ahead of the series opener, there were serious question marks around their future in the only format they represent the country in. Nobody knew how the two experienced duo would take the latest diktat from the BCCI that they play domestic cricket to be eligible for selection.
However, through the course of the three matches, the two galacticos showed why the superstar culture was going nowhere in Indian cricket. Wherever they went, Kohli and Rohit attracted the attention on them. They ensured that the three matches in Ranchi, Raipur and Visakhapatnam were sold out. Even at the airports, amidst all the chaotic scenes, the mere sighting of the two proved to be a mood-changer.
Sound 🔛🤩
As delightful as it gets from the bat of Rohit Sharma 💥💥
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/HM6zm9o7bm#TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/Kr7RCDGgQv
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 6, 2025
After two classy centuries at Ranchi and Raipur, Kohli’s unbeaten 65 off 45 illustrated he has got the joy back in his batting. “Just playing the way I have in this series has been the most satisfying thing for me. I don’t think I’ve played at this level for a good two-three years now, and I feel really free in my mind and just the whole game is coming together nicely, [it’s] very exciting to build on,” Kohli said after picking up the Player of the Series award.
“I can bat long and according to the situation, and just being confident makes me feel like any situation out there in the middle, I have what it takes to handle it and bring it in favour of the team.”
On the field, Kohli and Rohit didn’t just take on a nostalgia ride, but showed there is plenty for this team to gain from the two. Top players giving up one format or the other to pursue another isn’t new. But these two found themselves in a unique spot, where they had given up Test cricket and the shortest format and had just ODIs – a format that has long windows in between – to bank on. It isn’t easy, particularly when it comes to preparation. They had to rely on their years of experience and expertise in handling different situations.
W.O.W 🔥
Virat Kohli at his fluent best 💥
That's smashed into the stands with some conviction 😎
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/HM6zm9o7bm#TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/1EdwUbQj66
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 6, 2025
Guiding hand
In a series where India were without their captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, it was Kohli and Rohit who played the lead role with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal providing the support cast. In the first two matches, when they batted first, it was the rapid start provided by the two that ensured India could make a game of it when conditions were heavily loaded in favour of batsmen under lights. That South Africa imploded in Vizag trying to do the same proved that the intent shown by Kohli in the second powerplay was no easy thing to replicate. The 12 sixes that Kohli hit in the three matches is his highest tally in a series.
“When I play freely, I know I can hit sixes. So, I just wanted to have some fun because I was batting well, just take a bit more risk, just push my own boundaries and see where I go. There’s always levels you can unlock,” Kohli said.
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It was hard to miss that the young players benefitted from their presence. As head coach Gautam Gambhir said, Jaiswal is yet to figure out the tempo when it comes to ODIs and Rohit spent a considerable amount of time with the 23-year-old, explaining the nuances. At Vizag, when Kuldeep Yadav came back for his final spell, in which he took four wickets, Rohit’s role can’t be overlooked. While stand-in captain KL Rahul remained in Kuldeep’s ear from behind the stumps, it was Rohit who kept persisting that the spinner tested Dewald Brevis and Marco Jansen with his variations. The celebration between the two when Rohit took the catch to dismiss Brevis had a “told you so” feel. Even in the previous two matches, Rohit helping with field placements was hard to miss.
Between now and the New Zealand series in January, the two veterans will head back knowing they remain undisputed giants in the format, whose places aren’t in question any time soon.
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