Indian batting stalwarts, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, are leaving no stone unturned as they prepare for the upcoming ODI series against England in Nagpur. A video posted by the BCCI captured the duo in full flow at the nets, executing an array of strokes ahead of the first match.
The 2024-25 Test season was forgettable for both batters, with neither managing to impose themselves in the longest format. Rohit endured a torrid run, scoring just 164 runs across eight Tests at a meager average of 10.93, with only one fifty.
Kohli, while faring slightly better, could only muster 382 runs in 10 Tests at 22.87, managing just a solitary century and a half-century. Their recent outings in domestic cricket did little to boost confidence – Rohit fell cheaply for 3 and 28 in a Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir, while Kohli’s long-awaited return to first-class cricket after 12 years ended with just six runs against Railways.
Kohli’s struggles in 2024 were evident across formats, as he ended the year with 655 international runs in 23 matches at a modest average of 21.83. His only century came in the Perth Test, with a highest score of 100*. In contrast, Rohit enjoyed success in white-ball cricket.
As captain, he led India to the T20 World Cup title and was the team’s leading run-getter in the tournament, accumulating 257 runs at an impressive strike rate of 156.70. Across the year, he scored 378 T20I runs in 11 matches at an average of 42.00, smashing a century and three fifties.
Rohit, Kohli in ODIs
Both, Rohit and Kohli had limited exposure to ODIs last year – playing just three matches against Sri Lanka, where he scored 157 runs at an average of 52.33. While Kohli endured a poor outing in Sri Lanka, he has amassed 1,435 runs in 30 ODIs at an outstanding average of 65.22 since 2023, registering six centuries and eight half-centuries.
His record-breaking 2023 World Cup campaign saw him finish as the tournament’s highest run-getter, amassing 765 runs at a staggering average of 95.62.
As they step onto the field in Nagpur, both Rohit and Kohli will be eager to put their Test woes behind them and reignite their dominance in the ODI format. The duo’s batting form will be crucial as India prepare for the Champions Trophy, which begins later this month.