Rohit against Australia and Kohli against South Africa: How the two Stalwarts proved age is just a number

For an entire generation of fans who grew up watching them own every format, the sight of Rohit Sharma lifting his bat after a fluent 121 in Sydney and Virat Kohli wrapping up a commanding three-match run with two centuries and an unbeaten 65 in Visakhapatnam felt like a familiar comfort — but also something deeper. These weren’t just big scores; they arrived at a time when whispers about their ODI futures had grown louder. Not due to form, but because both had stepped away from Test cricket and begun trimming their workload. Instead of allowing the “past their peak” narrative to take root, they answered it in the most definitive language they know runs, presence, and the calm certainty of experience.

Rohit’s 121* in the 3rd ODI against Australia this October was far more than another day in his long list of milestones. It came at a venue where he has repeatedly stamped his authority, and it carried the assurance of a man who knows exactly how to pace an innings. That knock at the SCG pushed his ODI tally against Australia past 2,400 runs at an average close to 57. His 33 ODI hundreds now underline a career that continues to evolve without losing the effortless timing that has defined him.

That Sydney innings also reignited one of India’s most enduring partnerships. Rohit and Kohli added an unbeaten 168, equaling the iconic Tendulkar-Ganguly tally of 150-plus stands. The moment felt like a gentle rewind, yet it carried the sharpness and intelligence of two players who have reshaped their methods to suit a faster, more demanding era of ODI cricket.

Kohli’s return, though, had a different emotional beat. After back-to-back ducks in the Australia series, he walked into the 3rd ODI with every camera trained on him. His composed 74 steadied him, and from there he rolled into a South Africa series that felt like a highlight reel from his golden years. In the middle of that run came a landmark moment — his 53rd ODI hundred and 84th international century overall — a reminder of why his numbers still sits in a league of their own. Across three innings, he stacked up 302 runs, including two centuries and a 65 not out, averaging 151 and became the player of the series. The no-look six he casually smashed in the 3rd ODI, paired with the old aggression in his celebrations, instantly triggered memories of 2016. Social media had only one conclusion: vintage Kohli had returned.

At the end of the series, Kohli spoke with a rare openness about what this run of form meant to him. He admitted that he hadn’t “played at this level for a good 2–3 years,” and that the feeling of being “really free” in his mind had changed everything. The clarity he’d been missing, he said, returned once he stepped away from Test and T20 duties. “Just the whole game is coming together nicely… very exciting to build on,” he reflected, adding that when he bats with that sense of freedom, he knows he can “handle any situation and bring it in favors of the team.”

He even spoke about pushing his own limits again — taking risks, opening up new levels in his batting, and rediscovering the joy of hitting sixes simply because he felt confident enough to try. Kohli called his first knock of the series in Ranchi the most special, saying it “opened me up in a way I haven’t felt for a while,” especially after not having played since the Australia tour. And as he summed it up, the gratitude was unmistakable: after years of battling self-doubt, this three-match stretch made him feel like the player he had always believed he could still be.

Both Rohit and Kohli have made it clear that they’re not done with ODIs. Rohit reaffirmed his commitment after lifting the 2025 Champions Trophy, while Kohli said the format lets him feel most in control of his game. At a moment when conversations naturally drift toward the 2027 World Cup and the next generation of talent, their form provides something no team can manufacture: experience that thrives under pressure, and the temperament to win big matches.

Their resurgence also shifts the broader narrative. Instead of wondering when India needs to transition, the question now becomes how these two giants can continue anchoring the side through selective workloads and evolved roles. If anything, their performances show that longevity in modern cricket isn’t tied to age, it’s tied to clarity, preparation, and the hunger to adapt.

Ro-Ko have carried Indian batting for more than fifteen years, but 2025 might be one of the most symbolic phases of their journey. Faced with doubts about their ODI relevance, they responded with innings straight out of their prime. And if this is the late-career chapter they are crafting, it’s unfolding with a confidence that tells you they’re nowhere near stepping aside.

As the months unfold, their form will continue shaping India’s path. But for now, one truth stands unshaken: formats may shift and time may move, but in ODI cricket, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are nowhere close to finishing their story.