7 months ago
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Former captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should not beryllium written disconnected aft India's seven-wicket nonaccomplishment to Australia successful the archetypal of 3 one-day internationals, erstwhile Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said connected Tuesday (October 21, 2025).
After Sunday's decision successful Perth, the three-match bid moves to Adelaide connected Thursday (October 23, 2025) earlier concluding successful Sydney connected Saturday.
Kohli and Rohit, who retired from the game's different formats, present diagnostic solely successful the 50-over cricket. With the 2027 World Cup successful mind, the brace returned to enactment connected Sunday for the archetypal clip since lifting the Champions Trophy successful March.
Neither looked convincing against Australia's gait bowlers, with Rohit edging Josh Hazlewood to 2nd gaffe connected 8 and Kohli cutting Mitchell Starc to a diving Cooper Connolly astatine backward constituent for a duck.
However, Ponting is assured the brace volition soon rediscover their touch.
"You don't constitute disconnected champion players ever. These 2 person been among the best, and portion I've said earlier that Virat's the champion 50-over subordinate I've ever seen, you don't constitute them off," Ponting said connected the ICC Review podcast.
"They'll find a mode to lend and triumph games for their team, and if they bash that, they'll astir apt beryllium successful that World Cup squad successful 2027. I'd expect to spot some those guys bounce backmost into it beauteous quickly.
"Adelaide is simply a large spot to bat and a large spot to play cricket. But it won't beryllium casual for the information that they are facing immoderate of the champion white-ball bowlers that person ever played the game."
Ravi Shastri, who coached Rohit and Kohli during their highest years, said fewer recognize amended however revered the brace are successful India and abroad, and that they would not hazard their bequest by playing connected excessively long.
"The publication is implicit a decade, decennary and a fractional successful the lawsuit of Virat," Shastri said. "It's special. Whether they decorativeness time oregon they decorativeness the time aft oregon whenever. That bequest volition remain."
