IND vs ENG: When was the last time India played an ICC knockout game without Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli?
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Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirements from T20Is after winning T20 World Cup 2024.
India have finally made it through to the semi finals of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The defeat to South Africa in the first match of the Super 8 sent shock waves through the Indian fans. Touted as favourites to defend the title coming into the tournament, India defeated Zimbabwe and West Indies to seal their semifinal spot.
After Sanju Samson’s heroics against the West Indies, India face a stern test as they face England in the semifinal 2 on March 5. As India enter the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, it will not be just a team of talented cricketers that enters the ground, it will also be a team that has carried the weight of a generational shift.
It is the first time in nearly two decades that India will play an ICC knockout without Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli.
India will play an ICC knockout match without Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli for the first time in 23 years
To find the last time India played in a knockout ICC match without at least one of Rohit or Kohli, one has to go back to the 2003 ICC World Cup final. The duo were also not part of the 2007 ICC ODI World Cup, but India failed to qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament.
Since the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup, India have played 24 ICC knockout matches where either Rohit, Kohli, or both were part of the playing XI. The streak is set to come to an end in the semi-final match against England.
For over two decades, the iconic duo has been India’s blueprint for success in the ICC tournaments. From Kohli’s surgical precision in T20 World Cup 2014 semi-final to Rohit’s dominating hundred in the Cricket World Cup 2015 quarter-final, the team has always been reliant on the duo’s special talent to either anchor the innings or propel the run chase.
This Thursday after 23 years, when India takes on England, the safety net will be officially gone! Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, the new Men in Blue are talented, though a bit inexperienced in the game. The inexperience, in a way, was on display in the heavy loss to South Africa.
The bowling plan and game awareness, along with stability in the run chase provided by Kohli and Sharma, were missing in the game. The burden now falls on the shoulders of players like Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah, who are the experienced players in the side.
When was the last time India played an ICC knockout without Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli?
India last played an ICC knockout match without Rohit or Kohli in the 2003 ICC World Cup final against Australia.
How many ICC knockout matches had India played with either Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli before this?
India had played 24 ICC knockout matches featuring either Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, or both in the playing XI.
Which players are the experienced core in India’s current T20 World Cup squad?
Players like Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah form the experienced core of the current Indian side.
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Vishwajit Sawant is a sports content writer with two years of experience who believes in writing that feels honest, simple, and easy to read. He enjoys breaking down sporting moments into stories readers can genuinely connect with, without relying on fancy vocabulary. His work spans cricket, football, basketball, tennis, and Formula 1, with a focus on match previews, reviews, and reports. Vishwajit believes good content doesn’t need to be loud — it just needs to leave a subtle impact.