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Virat Kohli of India during the 3rd ODI match between India and New Zealand at Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore, India, on January 18, 2026.
(CREIMAS for BCCI)
It was back to the ’90s, the era when Sachin Tendulkar would wage a solitary battle, score a hundred that would fail to paper over the fissures in India’s brittle batting. Virat Kohli’s 124 didn’t take India past New Zealand’s total of 337. It wasn’t that he had failed, it was his mates that failed him. On a flat track, where Kohli batted like a dream, the other four in the top 5 worryingly couldn’t take advantage.
Had cricket been an individual sport, Kohli might have taken India home. But with wickets falling at other end, he couldn’t trust the tail-enders and his ‘all or nothing’ slog resulted in him getting out. India lost the game and the series and with it came a lesson and possibly a change in the collective mind-set of the team management and the selectors.
The inconsistency of India’s ODI batting group show and the sickening pattern of their dismissal shows, the narrative will now change. Now, it is no longer about Kohli desperately chasing the 2027 World Cup; now it’s almost India pleading for him to linger until next year. How times change in sport.
About six months back, during the England series, Indian cricket seemed to have moved on. Shubman Gill’s 700 plus series, he was Virat Kohli’s heir apparent. He was solidly personified, the all-format player who also made the marketeers weak in their knees. He was the Test captain but it was believed he would take charge of the ODIs.
It was only a matter of time before Rohit Sharma and Kohli – both retired from Tests and T20s – would be phased out. This was mid-25, 2027 was too far away. Away from the international circuit and with limited ODI games, no one thought the Big Two would have the drive or the necessary intense training needed to survive the intensity of top cricket. It was logical thinking, not wishing thinking of those not too keen to have the senior around in the young team with a coach who was against star culture.
India got the first surprise in the away ODI series against Australia, where a lean and slim Rohit turned back the clock to show that he was in no mood to hang his boots. Later in the home series against South Africa, Kohli would roar to the world that his story isn’t over. And now in the final ODI of the season, before the T20 madness takes over, he made another empathetic statement – “I am back and you need me”.
As ironies go, this one was too stark, it hung prominently over Indore’s air. Gill, the new Sheriff, was showing his old weakness. The tall Kiwi bowler Kyle Jaminess, like Kagiso Rabadda and James Anderson, had again exposed the Indian captain’s flaw of leaving a big gap between his pad and bat. As he lost his stumps, he looked a shadow of the batsman who had blunted the England attack – negotiating the in-coming with his water-tight defense. As for Kohli, he seemed to have figured out a way to deal with his away going ball – his old Achilles heel. Life has come a full circle for Gill and Kohli in a matter of months.
Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More
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