Sourav Ganguly Backs Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma to Continue ODI Careers as Long as Performance Shines

Former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has thrown his weight behind the country’s two white-ball stalwarts — Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma — urging them to continue playing One Day Internationals as long as they maintain their exceptional standards.

Speaking at an event organised by AWL Agri Business Ltd, Ganguly addressed growing speculation that the upcoming ODI series in Australia could mark the end of Kohli and Rohit’s illustrious journeys in the 50-over format.

Reports have suggested that the October series might be the duo’s farewell to ODIs, following their last appearances in both T20Is and Test cricket.

However, Ganguly was clear that such a decision should be guided purely by performance, not by speculation or external pressure. I am not aware of this, can’t comment on it,” he said, addressing the retirement rumours.

“Whoever does well will play. If they perform, they should continue. Kohli’s one-day record is phenomenal, and so is Rohit Sharma’s. Both are extraordinary in white-ball cricket.”

The India-Australia ODI series, beginning October 19, will feature matches in Perth, Adelaide, and Sydney, followed by a home ODI series against South Africa in December.

The 2026 season will see India play ODIs against New Zealand, Afghanistan, England, the West Indies, and another clash with New Zealand, giving ample opportunity for seasoned players to continue making an impact.

Kohli and Rohit themselves have so far avoided confirming whether the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup remains in their plans, keeping fans and pundits guessing.

Switching to the upcoming T20 Asia Cup in Dubai starting September 9, Ganguly backed India to dominate, especially given the team’s recent rest period following the exhausting five-Test series in England.ndia are very strong in red-ball cricket, but even stronger in white-ball formats. Beating them in Dubai will be a huge challenge for any team,” he asserted.

Ganguly also praised Shubman Gill, the new Test captain, highlighting his leadership qualities and bright future:He’s India’s Test captain, and his future is full of promise,” Ganguly said.

In a significant personal announcement, the cricketing icon confirmed his intent to make a comeback in cricket administration, stating he will file his nomination for the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president’s post — a position he held from mid-2015 to October 2019.If the members wish, I will file the nomination,” he said with a smile.

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