Rohit Sharma Shares the Story Behind His Bond with Virat Kohli

Rohit Sharma talks about his special bond with veteran batsman Virat Kohli after ODI series loss in England.

Rohit’s brilliant century in the third ODI against England at Lord’s could not save India from defeat, but the opener spoke at length about his special bond with Virat Kohli after the game. Rohit’s 138 off 110 balls kept India alive while chasing England’s 387/3, but the visitors eventually lost by 27 runs and the series 2-1.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Special Bond

Rohit and Kohli once again made a valuable stand as they rose to the challenge. The pair have now crossed 8,000 ODI partnership runs and have 21 century partnerships between them. Only Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, who have 26 century partnerships, have more such stands in ODI cricket.

The Lord’s game also brought another record for the pair. Rohit and Kohli became the first Indian pair to play 400 international matches together. In a video posted by the BCCI, Rohit explained how years of playing with Kohli have helped them develop a strong understanding while batting together.

“We have spent our entire careers playing together. So it was good to have him there with me. We have had a lot of partnerships over the years and it is always a pleasure to bat together. We know each other’s game very well. We keep sharing ideas and talking about what we can do next. We had a lot of discussions when we were at the crease,” Rohit said.

Rohit and Kohli already hold the Indian record for most international appearances together as a pair. They recently surpassed Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, who played 391 matches together.

In the global list, Sri Lankan legends Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are at the top with 550 matches. They are followed by Tillakaratne Dilshan and Jayawardene with 426 matches each. Rohit and Kohli have now moved up to seventh place with 400 matches.

Rohit’s Love for Playing Cricket in England

Rohit also spoke about his love for playing cricket in England and the various challenges that the country brings.

“Yes, I really enjoy playing in England. The atmosphere, the ground and the pitch, everything makes it special. Whenever you come here, no matter what format you play, you have to face a different kind of test. That’s exactly what you want as a cricketer. You want to keep facing the challenge. I enjoyed my time there, although I was disappointed that we didn’t get the result.”

The India opener admitted that the defeat was disappointing but said that the team needs to learn from it and work together.

“We couldn’t complete the chase and couldn’t get the win. But now we have to put that behind us and focus on improving. We need to look at what we can do better as a team. It can’t be about individual players. The whole group has to try, and that’s where our focus should be,” he said.

Also Read: Kohli-Rohit Reach Historic 400-Match Milestone Together in ODIs

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Longstanding Partnership

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have now played 400 international matches together, becoming the first Indian pair to achieve the feat. Rohit made his international debut in 2007, while Kohli entered the field soon after leading India to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2008. Over the years, both the senior batsmen have forged many great partnerships and played key roles in some of India’s biggest victories.

In 2024, both Rohit and Kohli won the Player of the Match award in India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign, with one winning the honour in the semi-finals and the other in the final. Both later announced their retirement from T20Is and Tests during the same period, leaving ODI cricket as their sole international format, targeting the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa.

India Needs Kohli, Rohit’s Experience in World Cup 2027

Recent results suggest that India could benefit greatly from having both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli available for the upcoming 2027 ICC World Cup. Apart from the two experienced star players, the ODI batting order still looks shaky, with the likes of Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer failing to deliver consistently during the ongoing series in England.

If Rohit gets a chance to continue, Indian fans could get a chance to see the famous Rohit-Kohli partnership once again on cricket’s biggest stage in the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.

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