New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering asking veteran batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to feature in India A’s upcoming series against Australia A as part of their preparations for the three-match ODI series in Australia starting October 19 in Perth.
Rohit and Kohli, who have retired from Tests and T20Is but remain active in ODIs, last played a 50-over match on March 9, 2025, in Dubai against New Zealand during the Champions Trophy final. While speculation has been rife that the duo may retire from ODIs after the Australia tour, BCCI sources told PTI that no such decision has been taken yet.
According to the plan under discussion, the two could play in two of the three List A matches against Australia A in Kanpur on September 30, October 3, and October 5. The series will coincide with India’s first Test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad.
In the Champions Trophy final, Rohit scored 76 off 83 balls in a 252-run chase to earn the Player of the Match award. Kohli, meanwhile, notched up key knocks earlier in the tournament, including 84 against Australia in the semifinal and an unbeaten 100 against Pakistan in the group stage.
While some reports suggest a potential farewell game for both players in Sydney on October 25, sources confirmed that no official discussions have taken place.
As for domestic cricket, the Vijay Hazare Trophy will run from December 24, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Before that, India will host South Africa for three ODIs starting November 30, followed by an India A vs South Africa A series in Rajkot on November 13, 16, and 19.
“Even if they feature in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, their participation will be limited to two or three matches due to overlapping international commitments,” a BCCI insider noted.
