IND vs NZ: Why BCCI honoured Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma during 1st ODI in Vadodara?

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the backbone of the Indian batting lineup since more than last one decade.

The opening clash between Indian Cricket Team and New Zealand Cricket Team started on January 11 (Sunday) at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. After their marvellous performances in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025-26, batting legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli took the field once again for the national team.

India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bowl first in the encounter, taking the reins of the side again after missing the previous series against South Africa due to a neck injury. New Zealand, with half-centuries by Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, and Daryl Mitchell, posted a gigantic total of 300/8.

Rohit, opening with Gill, could not go big with the bat and got out for 26 runs. However, smacking three boundaries and two sixes, he clinched a stunning record in his kitty. He surpassed Chris Gayle for the record of most sixes in the 50-over format as an opener. Kohli continued with his stunning form, scoring a half-century.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli honoured for their contribution to Indian cricket during 1st ODI in Vadodara

After the first innings, there was a special arrangement for Rohit and Kohli, who were honoured by BCCI and the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) for their contribution to Indian cricket. Both the former Indian captains were felicitated in the presence of ICC Chairman Jay Shah, BCA President Pranav Amin, and other BCCI office bearers. The Governing body also shared the photos of the moment on their official account on X (formerly Twitter).

They captioned the post: “Honouring the icons of the game. ICC Chair Mr. Jay Shah, Baroda Cricket Association President Mr. Pranav Amin and BCCI Office Bearers felicitate #TeamIndia legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli”. Have a look at the post below.

Meanwhile, Rohit and Kohli announced their retirement from test cricket last year, pulling down the curtains in two formats of the game.

In June 2024, they also retired from T20I cricket after winning T20 World Cup 2024. Only active in the 50-over format, their next focus is to play for India in ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 next year.

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