When will Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return in Indian jersey to play international cricket?

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20Is after T20 World Cup 2024.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli declared their retirement from T20 International cricket following India’s T20 World Cup victory over South Africa by seven runs in the final on Saturday (June 29).  

Kohli and Rohit ended their over-a-decade-long T20I careers after India won their first ICC trophy since 2013 and their second T20 World Cup since 2007. While Kohli announced his retirement during his speech after winning the Player of the Match award in final, Rohit made the revelation during the post-final press conference.

Rohit retired as the highest run-getter in T20Is with 4231 runs in 159 matches at a strike rate of 140.89. He hit five centuries and 32 fifties in his career and also hit 205 sixes. On the other hand, Kohli ended his T20I career at the second spot with 4188 runs in 125 games. Kohli hit one century, against Afghanistan in 2022, and 38 half-centuries.

The duo, who have been mainstays in the Indian squad and led the side at various points in their careers in the format, will no longer play for the national team in Twenty20 Internationals. However, the two will be still play the other two formats – ODIs and tests – for India.

When will Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli play for India next?

India’s next assignment is the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe and the BCCI already named a new-look side under the captaincy of Shubman Gill for the same. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, along with most of the T20 World Cup-winning squad were rested for this series.

After Zimbabwe, India will tour Sri Lanka for a white-ball series including three ODIs and three T20Is in July-August. The ODI series will start from 2nd August and if selected for the tour, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will don the India blue jersey once more.

The ODI series is of importance as India have only a handful of 50-over internationals before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where all the senior Indian players will be picked. BCCI secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that the senior players will be focussing on the Champions Trophy 2025 and the World Test Championship.

However, if Kohli and Rohit are not picked for the Sri Lanka ODIs, then their closest return date will be when Bangladesh tours India for two tests in September.

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