
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma To Play India A Matches? Report Highlights Ajit Agarkar Factor
The three List A games will be played in Kanpur on September 30, October 3 and October 5, at the same time the senior team plays the first Test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad.
Indian cricket runs on narratives and currently it is about whether Kohli and Rohit, with a cumulative 83 ODI hundreds and 25,000-plus runs, can last till the October 2027 ODI World Cup when they would be 39 and 40-year old respectively.
"Obviously, if they (Rohit and Kohli) have something in mind, they would tell the BCCI brass like they did before the England Test tour. But from an Indian team's perspective, the next big assignment is the T20 World Cup in February and preparations before that. The immediate focus will be on sending the best team for the Asia Cup T20 tournament, hoping all players are fit and available," a BCCI source privy to the developments told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
The BCCI never believes in taking decisions in haste and would always gauge the mood and public perceptions before taking a call, which is sensitive in nature considering the massive fan following of the two players.
The last tournament that they played was the Champions Trophy in Dubai where Kohli scored a hundred in a successful chase against Pakistan at the group league stage, while Rohit starred with a sublime half-century in the chase during the final.
However, both have not played competitive cricket since the conclusion of the Indian Premier League.
Kohli, who is now a resident of London, had recently posted an Instagram story after an indoor nets session, which is an indicator that he has started training.
Rohit, who was also in the UK on a break post IPL, is recently back in Mumbai and would certainly be expected to start training in a few days.
While there are some media reports about BCCI offering the duo a farewell game at Sydney on October 25, the BCCI source in the know of things said that as of now, no such discussions have taken place.
As far as playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy is concerned, the source said that the national One-Day Championship starts on December 24, 2025 and even before that, there is another three-match ODI series at home against South Africa starting November 30.
"Even if they play Vijay Hazare, before that there would already be six ODIs that will be played. In between the Australia ODIs and the South Africa ODIs, there is an India A series against South Africa A where three List A games (50 overs) will be held at Rajkot on November 13, 16 and 19 respectively.
"Now, will the duo want to play those three A games, or possibly two, before the South Africa series is the question. Even more important is whether Ajit Agarkar and his colleagues would want that," he said.
"Overlapping the Vijay Hazare Trophy (December 24, 2025 - January 18, 2025) will be the three ODIs between India and New Zealand (January 11, 14, 18). So even if they play the Vijay Hazare Trophy, it can't be for more than two to three games," he added.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Rajeev Ram reflects on his unique journey, tennis success, thoughts on doubles and mentoring young talent.
For Indian tennis fans, Rajeev Ram at once seems a close cousin and a distant relative. The 41-year-old's parents were from India and his biggest doubles successes — Australian Open 2020 and a hat-trick of US Opens from 2021 to 2023 — have resonated in the sub-continent. But he is also proudly American, and is mentoring the next generation there. He sat courtside as fellow Indian-American Nishesh Basavareddy, then 19, took on Novak Djokovic in the first-round of the 2025 Australian Open. Incidentally, Rajeev and Venus Williams beat Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza in a close semifinal at the Rio 2016 Olympics, and Rajeev [with Joe Salisbury] also overcame Bopanna [and Matthew Ebden] in the 2023 US Open final. The six-time Grand Slam champion and two-time Olympic medallist spoke to The Hindu on his tennis journey, the state of doubles, the mixed doubles rejig at the upcoming US Open and more. Excerpts: ALSO READ | Open and shut case: Jaiswal and Rahul making headway as a partnership at the top How do you assess your year so far? In professional sport, it's a lot of up and down. My results this year haven't been what I've gotten used to over the last few years. But I'm 41 and have been very fortunate to have played at a pretty high level for the better part of 20 years. So, I'm taking it in my stride. The US Open is my favourite tournament, so I am really looking forward [to it]. What has kept you going for so long? I played singles as a priority until 2017. We, as tennis players, begin with aspirations to play at the top level in singles. I'm very proud of the fact that I became a top-60 player and won two titles on the Tour. My doubles-only career started in 2017, and even though it was much after I turned pro, it still was fresh when Joe and I won the Australian Open in 2020. It's a lot about attitude. The thing that's always been important is consistently trying to improve. If you have that attitude, you can sometimes take even losses as a positive. As heartbreaking as some of them are, sometimes they're the biggest motivators. I used them as fire and fuel. I've actually had to be more aware of myself when I've been winning a lot because you get a little bit satisfied. How has the doubles game evolved? It's changed a lot. When I started, players, especially those who transitioned from singles, would try to develop their net game a bit more. In the last three or four years, I've seen a big shift where that's really not the case. Most teams now have at least one player who serves and stays back all the time. There's more comfort from the baseline. A lot of the players don't really worry about serving and volleying anymore. From the returner's perspective, it's a lot more about pace, being aggressive and trying to get a hold on the point straight away. Whereas, when I started playing, there was a little bit more feel, more finesse. Doubles is very entertaining and popular as a recreational sport. But it doesn't get good broadcast slots or matches on the show courts, especially in the first week of a Major. Are these hindering the growth? Absolutely. Anything that is put on the back-burner in terms of promotion and marketing is going to be treated that way by people who watch it. I'm not saying by any stretch that it needs to be at the same level as singles. But there are definitely stories that could be marketed a lot more. Like Rohan having so much success at such a late age [World No. 1 and 2024 Australian Open title]. Croatia's Mate Pavic won the French Open last year and completed the career Golden Slam [along with Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold]. But I don't think it got the push that a truly rare achievement in our sport should have got. Next is to highlight the partnerships. There could be quite a bit more of that, just to get to know the players at the personal level. ALSO READ | Sai Sudharsan: 'It was clear that we were in England to create history' In such a scenario, how does the move by the US Open to completely transform its mixed doubles feel? It is being played in the week before the Slam and has more singles players than doubles. It's two parts for me. I applaud their idea to innovate. As much as doubles was on the back-burner, mixed doubles was behind even more. So putting it in its own week, with fanfare, is great. Tennis could use mixed doubles as the flag-bearer, as men and women play men and women for Olympic medals and Grand Slam titles. But they [US Open] made it such that doubles players couldn't even enter. You can't unless you have a singles ranking. That's where I feel opposed. They should [have] just let everybody enter. A lot of the players that got in from singles would have still gotten in. It would have been a bit more legitimate to give a Grand Slam trophy for. If you were in a position of power, what would you do to increase traction for doubles? I mentioned Rohan winning so late. Joe and I won three US Opens on the trot. So the stories are there. They just need to be told. Secondly, social media is such a big part of our world. We have exciting points happening every day. They don't need to be necessarily in the main stadiums or even on TV. If we could do a better job of showcasing them, people would be drawn to the game. Most of those who are watching are doubles players themselves and they can have a little bit of a relationship there. The third thing is to just tell the story of the partnerships. Joe and I played together for six years. We can do a little bit more of getting outside tennis and highlighting the personalities. ALSO READ | Injuries are a part of cricket; injury substitutes are unnecessary You have been mentoring Nishesh, among the brightest talents to emerge from the United States. What do you think India can do to develop such a player? I wish there was some magic recipe. Nishesh and I… our relationship is unique. Of all the places in the US, he moved to the little town that I'm from [Carmel, Indiana]. We have the same coach, Bryan Smith, and I have to give him a lot of credit. He not only teaches us to be good tennis players but also teaches us to give back to the next group. It was always something I was going to do for him [Nishesh] and a few others. Also, coming from the exact same background as I have, an America-born kid with Indian heritage… a lot of pieces came together. What India can do… I think it is very important for a player to feel that he or she is not alone and not feel like they have to reach a certain level for it to be successful. Just the effort of trying to be the best you can be is success in itself. I was really lucky that my dad had the foresight to realise that in the US, sports can actually open doors. I would have never gone to the colleges that I went to if I wasn't a tennis player. So, maybe, just a slight shift in mentality for what it really means to be a high-level athlete and what success really is [can help India].


The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
India's Test tour of England — A watershed moment in Gautam Gambhir's coaching stint
In the metamorphosis of cricketers, the way they are remembered becomes a product of recency bias. In their prime, Ravi Shastri and Navjot Singh Sidhu were gutsy players, but for the modern generation, they are just commentators. Shastri, though, has an added layer of being a former coach. Equally, Gautam Gambhir has to deal with such quirks in public memory. The Indian cricket team's coach was an effective opener in his heyday, albeit over-shadowed by Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman and Sourav Ganguly. ALSO READ | Open and shut case: Jaiswal and Rahul making headway as a partnership at the top Owning the big stage Gambhir had his splendid days too, evident in his 436-ball 137 that secured a draw against New Zealand at Napier in 2009. And both in the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 and 2011 ICC World Cup finals, he was the top-scorer for a triumphant India. Deep inside, he still feels that he never got the credit, as skipper M.S. Dhoni gained the accolades. The fiery southpaw had a slow descent as his form waned, but in the Indian Premier League, he led Kolkata Knight Riders to titles in 2012 and 2014. Having nursed captaincy ambitions at the highest level, perhaps the IPL forays helped to partially assuage that simmering angst. The microscope trained on Gambhir then got coated with a political lens as he shifted to Parliament. He may have moved on from that phase, but in the perennial ideological churn seen in India, judgements on him are often influenced by the political underpinnings of the larger public. These diverse strands of perception clung to him harder when he was appointed coach of the Indian team in July last year. He was also stepping into a space earlier occupied by Dravid and Shastri. Dravid, ever conscious about his public image, and Shastri, with years of commentary experience under his belt, knew how to position themselves. It also helped that Shastri forged a bond with Virat Kohli, and Dravid found a kindred spirit in Rohit Sharma. A coach in synergy with the captain always helps, especially in Indian cricket, which had its horror phase when Greg Chappell and Ganguly had their falling-out. Gambhir was saddled with the onerous task of shepherding a unit in the throes of transition, while also dealing with the larger-than-life aura around talisman Kohli and skipper Rohit. It was never easy. Old videos of his run-in with Kohli in a heated IPL clash resurfaced, but the two handled the issue well. This was the cynical universe Gambhir stepped into, with a thinking hat and a lingering scowl. ALSO READ | Sai Sudharsan: 'It was clear that we were in England to create history' As a year at the helm ends, Gambhir has had a roller-coaster ride at the top. In his initial days as national coach, India won the T20I series in Sri Lanka 3-0, but lost the subsequent ODI jousts 0-2. It was also a tour that revealed the diverse paths that India would traverse even within the blue shade but split between ODIs and T20Is. Suryakumar Yadav led in T20Is and Rohit was the captain in ODIs. Gambhir had to recalibrate his communication lines. Back home, the coach found easy pickings in the Tests against Bangladesh and a 2-0 victory was etched. But the knives were sharpened when host India lost 0-3 in the Tests against New Zealand. The old dirge about Indian cricket being on a downward spiral played out. Gambhir's role and his judgement of pitches were questioned. India may have this image of being a fortress at home, but there have been occasions in the past when visiting sides have emerged on top. Yet, in this age of toxic social media and emotional television anchors, neutrality and nuance are vanishing traits. Whispers of unease Even as ODIs and T20Is were won, the next big hurdle was the tour of Australia. By then, whispers of unease between Test leader Rohit and Gambhir had surfaced. There was mutual respect and both had played together for India in the past, but just like Kohli missed Shastri, Rohit felt Dravid's absence. Meanwhile, Gambhir was trying to forge a squad that reflected his persona. Expending every ounce of energy on the field, verbal skirmishes on and off it, and sharp words for the media became par for the course. Still, India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3, and this after starting its campaign well. ALSO READ | Injuries are a part of cricket; injury substitutes are unnecessary It was a tour that brought the curtains down on three storied careers. A trip Down Under does that at times as Dilip Vengsarkar, Dravid and Laxman would testify. As the 2024-25 series progressed, R. Ashwin announced his retirement. After the dust seemed to settle, it was Rohit's turn, with the captain dropping himself for the final Test. It was a matter of time before he announced his retirement from Tests; and Kohli followed suit. Gambhir, prone to holding all the cards close to his chest, had insisted that the best playing eleven would take the field ahead of that last game in Sydney. And as Rohit made way for Jasprit Bumrah to lead again, the winds of transition were clear. The coach has had his sunshine moments too, when in the ODIs, a resurgent Rohit guided India to a title win in the ICC Champions Trophy final against New Zealand at Dubai in March. Even as Gambhir sought to carve his own path, the iconic status bequeathed to Kohli and Rohit was a factor he had to accept. But once the duo quit Tests, finally the coach had a bunch of players on whom he could leave an imprint, as India flew to the Old Blighty. It also helped that expectations around the side, led by Shubman Gill, were a notch low. But when the tour concluded on August 4 at a raucous Oval, India had charged back to level the series 2-2. This could well be the tipping point for Gambhir, the coach. The shadows of Kohli, Rohit and Ashwin are no longer there even if the first two are still available for ODIs. In Gill, K.L. Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, the coach has a fine nucleus in Tests. ALSO READ | What to expect in this Premier League season? Festering issue Gambhir's anger-management remains a festering issue as obvious in his tiff with the Oval curator Lee Fortis. But this is how he is, like Steve Waugh, preferring the entire world to be against him. With his back to the wall, Gambhir springs forward. His team did the same through the England tour. And he does smile too, a rare sliver of joy on an otherwise grim visage. As a player, he had the respect of his legendary peers. Now as coach, Gambhir is seeking permanence in Indian cricket's list of influential figures. He has a young team to mould and results to chase. There is also the tricky bit of dealing with the impending twilight of Kohli and Rohit in ODIs. Gambhir has a long road ahead and, as he prefers battle metaphors, surely the angry warrior in him is wide awake.


Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Asia Cup: Sony sets top ad rates for India-Pakistan clash
Synopsis Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has set ad rates for the Asia Cup, with the India-Pakistan match commanding ₹14-16 lakh per 10-second slot. Sponsorship opportunities are also available, with co-presenting sponsorships priced at ₹18 crore for television and ₹30 crore for digital platforms. Agencies India vs Pakistan (File Photo) Mumbai: The ad inventory for India's upcoming Asia Cup matches, including the high-profile clash against arch-rivals Pakistan, has been priced at ₹14-16 lakh per 10-second slot, according to the ad rate card issued to advertisers by official media rights holder Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI).SPNI, which secured the Asia Cup media rights till 2031 for $170 million, will air the tournament on Sony Sports Network and stream it on SonyLIV. For television, co-presenting sponsorship is pegged at ₹18 crore, while associate sponsorship is priced at ₹13 crore. A spot-buy package covering all India and non-India matches is priced at ₹16 lakh per 10 seconds, amounting to ₹4.48 the digital side, SonyLIV is offering multiple sponsorship options. Co-presenting and highlights partner packages are priced at '30 crore each, while the co-powered-by package is at '18 crore. Digital ad inventory will be evenly distributed across matches, with 30% reserved for India games. "Asia Cup will see good demand since it's happening in the pre-festive season and the India-Pakistan match is a big draw. This year, Diwali is coming early, so a lot of advertising activity will begin in September," said Navin Khemka, president-client solutions, WPP Media. The Asia Cup 2025 will be played in the T20 format, featuring eight teams and 19 matches, including three India-Pakistan for digital spots across all matches are ₹275 per 10 seconds for pre roll ads, ₹225 for midrolls, and ₹450 for Connected TV (CTV) ads. For India matches, these rise to ₹500 for pre rolls, ₹400 for midrolls, and ₹800 for CTV ads. The India-Pakistan game commands the highest rates at ₹750 for pre rolls, ₹600 for midrolls, and ₹1,200 for CTV sources say the Asian Cricket Council has signed sponsorship deals with title sponsor DP World; global sponsors Wonder Cement, Spinny, and Groww; and official partners Royal Stag Packaged Drinking Water, Haier, Daikin, and agencies estimate the sponsorship values at between ₹10 crore and ₹20 crore.