Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes aging stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will make a comeback during the ODI series.
Published October 22, 2025
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting on Tuesday said former India captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should not be sacked from the team following the seven-wicket loss to Australia in the first of three one-day internationals.
After Sunday’s loss in Perth, the trifecta moves to Adelaide on Thursday before concluding in Sydney on Saturday.
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Kohli and Rohit have retired from other formats but are currently playing only 50-over cricket. With the 2027 World Cup in mind, the pair returned to action on Sunday for the first time since lifting the Champions Trophy in March.
Neither looked convincing against Australia’s pace bowlers, with Rohit holding off Josh Hazlewood at second slip on eight and Kohli cutting Mitchell Starc to a diving Cooper Connolly at backward point for a duck.
But Ponting is confident the pair will soon find their way back to each other.
“You can’t take champion players lightly. These two have been among the best. I’ve said before that Virat is the best 50-over player I’ve ever seen, but you can’t take them lightly,” Ponting said on the ICC Review podcast.
“They’ll find a way to contribute to the team and win games, and if they can do that, they’ll probably be in the World Cup squad in 2027. I expect to see both of them back in the team soon.”
“Adelaide is a great place to bat and a great place to play cricket. But it’s not going to be easy given the fact that you’re up against some of the best white ball bowlers that have ever played cricket.”
Ravi Shastri, who coached Rohit and Kohli during their heydays, said few people understood how well-respected the two were both in India and abroad, and he did not intend to jeopardize their legacy by continuing to play for too long.
“In Virat’s case, his contribution is over 10, 10-and-a-half years,” Shastri said. “It’s special. Whether it ends tomorrow, the next day, or whenever it ends, the legacy will remain.”
