Aakash Chopra says Rohit, Virat retired from 'wrong format', feels they should have quit ODIs instead of Tests
Days after skipper Shubman Gill led India to a brilliant 2-2 draw, reports started emerging that Rohit and Virat could be leaving ODIs as well, with both of them not in plans for the ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa and Namibia scheduled for 2027 unless both play domestic 50-over cricket to prove their match fitness and form.
Both cricketers had announced Test retirement ahead of India's tour to England back in May.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, "The truth is that they have said goodbye to the wrong format. They had left T20Is after winning the T20 World Cup, but the story might have been different had they continued to play Tests and said goodbye to ODIs. India played only six ODIs in 12 months before the Champions Trophy."
"There is a possibility that you might play only six Tests in a year, but even if it is only six Tests, it's 30 days of cricket. If only six ODIs are played, it's just six days of cricket over a period of time. It will be more than 100 days from your last IPL match to the next ODI you will play. You are not playing at all. You are not practicing at all," he added.
Chopra also pointed out that the gaps between ODI series these days are also "incredibly huge" and it would be difficult to sustain form, fitness, commitment to diet etc with just a few ODI games.
"A three-match series gets over in seven to eight days. Then the next one would be after three months. Gaps are just incredibly huge, and you won't play first-class cricket in between. It's true that had they continued playing Test cricket and left ODIs, staying in the groove would have been a lot easier," he said.
"When you have retired from Tests, and ODI cricket is not played much, it is not going to make a lot of sense. So just two months of high-intensity IPL, where you would get to play 14 to 16 innings, and then you would play three matches after six months, and then three matches after another three months. I think it is very, very difficult," Chopra observed.
Virat and Rohit are two of the finest ODI players produced by India, with Virat having made 14,181 runs in 302 matches and 290 innings at an average of 57.88, with 51 centuries and 74 fifties. His best score is 183.
On the other hand, Rohit has scored 11,168 runs in 272 matches and 265 innings at an average of 48.76, with 32 centuries and 59 fifties and a best score of 264.
Both last played ODIs in the ICC Champions Trophy, which they won, with Virat scoring 218 runs in five matches at an average of 54.50, with a century against Pakistan and a knock of 84 against Australia in the semifinals being his top contributions. Rohit had a more mixed tournament but nonetheless came in clutch with a title-sealing 76 in the final, ending the tournament with 180 runs at an average of 36.00 and a strike rate of 100.00.
The legendary duo has sustained a sensational run of form since 2023, the World Cup year. Virat has scored 1,710 runs in 37 matches and 34 innings at an average of 61.07, while striking at above 95, with seven centuries and 10 fifties. His best score is 166*.
In 38 ODIs and 37 innings, Rohit has scored 1,714 runs at an average of 48.97, with a stupendous strike rate of 117.24, with three centuries and 12 fifties, with his best score being 131.
Their next ODI assignment will be three matches against Australia, starting from October 19 onwards. With three more ODIs scheduled from November to December against South Africa at home, three against New Zealand in January at home, and a summer tour to England for three ODIs in July, fans would be hoping that Rohit and Virat make the most of these outings with their consistency and reflexes to keep their chances of going to the World Cup alive. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
9 minutes ago
- Mint
Dewald Brevis' 41-ball hundred makes AB de Villiers remind IPL teams of CSK's masterstroke; ‘The boy can play'
Koushik Paul Published 12 Aug 2025, 06:14 PM IST Dewald Brevis of South Africa bats during second T20I against Australia.(AP) Former South African captain AB de Villiers reminded nine other Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises of Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) masterstroke after Dewald Brevis smashed an unbeaten maiden T20I hundred on Tuesday against Australia. After South Africa lost the opening game by 17 runs, Brevis' 56-ball 125 not out made sure the Proteas reach their highest-ever T20I total against the Australians in Darwin.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
9 minutes ago
- First Post
'They have said goodbye to the wrong format': Ex-India cricketer's bold take on Rohit, Virat Test retirement
As Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are stuck in the period of inactivity, a former India cricketer has come to opine about their situation. read more Having bid adieu to the T20Is and the Test cricket, and with the Bangladesh ODI series called off, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are trapped in a period of inactivity. The two haven't indulged in any cricketing action since the culmination of the IPL 2025, leaving fans unsatisfied and eager to see them back on the field. As ODIs do not take place as regularly as they once used to, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are not expected to don the Indian jersey again before October, when Team India will tour Australia for 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs. Paying heed to the situation of Kohli and Sharma, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has opined that the two exited the wrong format. According to Chopra, Kohli and Sharma should have said goodbye to the ODI format rather than the Tests. It should be noted that both the batters announced their respective retirements from the longest format of the game in May, ahead of the squad selection for the England tour. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Chopra says Rohit-Virat should have exited ODIs instead of Tests Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, 'The truth is that they have said goodbye to the wrong format. They had left T20Is after winning the T20 World Cup, but the story might have been different had they continued to play Tests and said goodbye to ODIs. India played only six ODIs in 12 months before the Champions Trophy." Chopra puts substance to his opinion by stating that playing 6 Tests in a calendar year offers more exposure of international cricket than 6 ODIs. 'There is a possibility that you might play only six Tests in a year, but even if it is only six Tests, it's 30 days of cricket. If only six ODIs are played, it's just six days of cricket over a period of time. It will be more than 100 days from your last IPL match to the next ODI you will play. You are not playing at all. You are not practising at all," he added. Chopra also stated that the long gaps between the ODI series make it challenging for the players to maintain form, fitness, and commitment to diet. 'A three-match series gets over in seven to eight days. Then the next one would be after three months. Gaps are just incredibly huge, and you won't play first-class cricket in between. It's true that had they continued playing Test cricket and left ODIs, staying in the groove would have been a lot easier," he said. Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma hold an outstanding record in the ODIs. Sharma, who is still the captain of the side, has played 272 matches and has stockpiled 11,168 runs at an average of 48.76. He has notched 32 centuries and 59 fifties in his career, and not to forget, he holds the record of scoring the highest ever individual score, 264, in the history of ODI cricket. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, is arguably the greatest ever ODI batter. He has amassed 14,181 runs in 302 matches an average of 57.88, with 51 centuries and 74 fifties. Given the numbers they have produced, it seems like they still have a lot to offer to the 50-over format.
The Hindu
9 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Small shores to continental waves: the making of Ramesh Budihal
On a sun-bleached morning, the swell had eased, but it still offered promising waves. Standing with the entire Indian team around him and the coach's final words in his ear, Ramesh Budihal looked calm. The surfer from Kovalam was about to paddle into the biggest moment of his career. The air was thick with anticipation; the shore lined with spectators and teammates scanning the water. Flags fluttered in the warm breeze, the sound of waves mixing with bursts of cheers from the crowd. History had already been made — no Indian had ever reached the final of the Asian Surfing Championships (ASC) until now. But Budihal wasn't done yet. The contest was fierce, with the swell demanding precision and patience. Despite a solid opening ride, a top-two finish was a difficult task, but a third place was very much in sight. In the dying moments of the final, he held his nerve and saw his last attempt through. When the horn sounded, the scoreboard confirmed it — bronze for Budihal, behind South Korea's Kanoa Heejae and Indonesia's Pajar Ariyana. India had its first individual medal at the continental level. For a sport where the largest waves and deepest resources lie far from Indian shores, a podium finish once felt like a pipe dream. But Budihal's journey, from sneaking out to surf as a boy to standing on the continental stage, marked the start of a new chapter in Indian surfing, and a moment he had been chasing for years. The journey leading up to this historic moment began far away from the cheers of the crowd, on Kovalam's small beach in Kerala. Budihal's first contact with the sport came through the Kovalam Surf Club and the Sebastian Indian Social Project (SISP), a Belgian-run initiative that introduced surfing to underprivileged children. 'The ocean felt like home. But my family didn't see it that way at first. They thought it was dangerous and didn't know what the surfing future could hold. I even had to sneak out to surf,' he recalled. Money was a constant challenge. Surfboards, wetsuits, and competition travel came with price tags far beyond what most young surfers could afford. 'There's no steady income from surfing here. Most of the athletes face financial problems.' To fund his training, he gave lessons between practice sessions and received occasional sponsorships, including a Coca-Cola-backed Olympic promotion in 2024 — small boosts that kept his career afloat and his competitive edge sharp. Against these odds, Budihal steadily built his game. He has been ranked in the top three of the National Surf Series for the last four years, and in 2024, he finished the season as India's No. 1 male surfer. Victories at the Indian Open of Surfing and the Mahabs Point Break Challenge confirmed his dominance at home, while a strong showing at the 2023 ISA World Surfing Games gave him vital experience against the sport's global heavyweights. Yet, in a decision that still stings, he did not make the cut for the national team competing at last year's ASC in the Maldives. 'That hurt. I was really bummed about that, but it also motivated me. This year, I have worked on my goal,' he said. With renewed determination, Budihal ramped up his preparation. A two-week-long training with the 12-member Indian team in Mamallapuram helped him get ready for the challenge. Competing against some of the Asian surfing heavyweights was not going to be easy. 'Even if there are no waves, you have to train,' he said. 'No matter what, you have to prepare mentally and physically. It could be the same in an event, you never know.' That mindset, he believes, made the difference when the pressure peaked in Mamallapuram, not only during the final but throughout the seven days of action. A local hero in the national scene had announced himself on the continental stage. And for the proud Indian team coach, Samai Reboul, it was an achievement bound to happen. 'The game plan with Ramesh was very simple: show your surfing,' said Reboul. The Aurovillian, a familiar face along the Indian coasts for more than 30 years, was always confident of his surfer's skills. 'It was just about him showing his surfing, which he is very capable of. He had to remove the pressure and free himself. I'm very proud because he actually did,' said Reboul. Team effort Budihal's great run lit up the week for the rest of the squad, who had already been pushing deeper into heats than before. As the final qualifier for the Asian Games 2026, the contingent arrived knowing every heat could make a difference. Two semifinalists, several into the quarterfinals, and most reaching Round 3 made for one of India's best continental showings. For coach Reboul, it was the payoff for months of preparation. 'I'm very proud of the Indian team. It was quite a bit of hard work, but everyone did really well and contributed to the results that we got,' he said. Reboul was always optimistic about his unit's chances. Before the tournament began, if one were to ask him whether India could win a bronze medal, '100 per cent yes. I know what these kids are capable of. There are medals and whatnot, but the main goal here was to get quotas for the Asian Games,' he remarked. For India, the ASC marked a major turnaround in the sport's trajectory and the country's stance as a surfing nation. But the focus now shifts to the upcoming Asiad, where surfing is set to make its debut only a handful of years after its first Olympic appearance. 'We are at a very good stage in Indian surfing, and Asia is watching us. It's a lot of work, but we'd love to have a medal in the Asian Games,' Arun Vasu, president of the Surfing Federation of India (SFI), told The Hindu. Budihal's medal all but assures India of additional quotas for the multi-sport event scheduled to take place in Japan. Perhaps accomplishing an 'out-of-reach' target for Indian surfing had a lot to do with surfers' luck and home advantage, but it took Budihal's composure and years of persistence to turn it into something lasting. His groundbreaking milestone has redrawn the boundaries of what was possible for Indian surfing, and the future now points toward the Asian Games — a bigger stage and a bigger test, waiting beyond the break.
