Exclusive domain of Ro-Ko: They have given lease to ODI format two months ahead of a T20  World Cup

Despite a looming T20 World Cup, Rohit and Kohli show ODIs remain their exclusive domain with dominant performances.

The recently finished three-match ODI series between New Zealand and West Indies was a perfect reflection of where the 50-over format stands in the modern era. There were very few people turning up in the stadium for the fixtures. The string of low scores were another indication of how things unfold in ODIs these days. Apart from the opening game in Christchurch, the scores didn’t cross the 250-run mark in four innings.

Most teams tend to play the 50-over format as the longer version of T20 cricket. And that’s where they make mistakes. In ODIs, teams need to set different templates in various situations of the game. The very same skill was on display during India’s opening 50-over clash against South Africa in Ranchi, with both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma dropping masterclasses. 

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Virat Kohli’s phenomenal knock at Ranchi
Anyone watching Virat Kohli bat for more than a decade in ODIs knows his love affair with taking singles and doubles at the start of his innings. That’s his routine to get into his zone of comfort. South Africa had a plan to break it. In the first 10 overs, they kept the fielders up in the ring to cut off the easy singles.

With time, the greats evolve themselves; and Kohli is no different. He used his feet against the pacers to time several sixes in the power play. When the Protea pacers- Marco Jansen, Nandre Burger, Corbin Bosch, and Ottneil Baartman- missed the good length, Kohli made sure that the ball flew over the rope.

In the 14th over of the innings, the right-handed batter nudged the ball into the mid-wicket. Once it rolled on the vacant pocket of the ground, Kohli started sprinting and had the ambition of coming back for three. In the blink of an eye, the second-wicket partnership between Kohli and Rohit crossed the century mark. It was the 20th time they achieved the landmark, only behind Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar, who have celebrated the same milestone 26 times in ODIs.

Towards the back end of the innings, KL Rahul walked into the middle. It was hard to address who the new batter was between Rahul and Kohli. The latter kept pushing for the doubles even at the age of 37 after nearly three hours of batting. That was a clear reflection of his fitness and desire for the format.

“It’s the way I live. So, as long as my fitness levels are up and my mental enjoyment and sharpness are there, when you can visualize the game, and you see yourself running as hard, reacting fast on the ball, then you know it’s fine,” Kohli spoke in the post-match presentation ceremony.

With a single glided to the deep third boundary region, Kohli notched up his 52nd ODI century. He jumped in the air, put on a massive scream, and kissed his wedding ring. The clutch point of the knock was how he knew when to change gears throughout the innings. There were moments when he slowed down, but never let the pressure take on his instincts.

The higher one goes, the lonelier it becomes- Kohli is alone now with 52 ODI centuries. But his eyes would be on the upcoming 2027 ODI World Cup. His Ranchi knock freshened up the memories of Jaipur in 2013. There was white noise and speculation on Kohli’s future. There won’t be any more after November 30.

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Rohit’s natural batting keeps ODI-enthusiasm alive
With Yashasvi Jaiswal and Kohli starting aggressively, Rohit Sharma didn’t get many chances with the bat in the first 10 overs. It was quite unnatural for his first six to become the fourth of India’s innings. The Mumbai batter reached out for the slog-sweep and sent Prenelan Subrayen over mid-wicket for a huge six.

On the following delivery, he picked the same area for another slog sweep to equal Shahid Afridi’s record of most sixes (351) in ODIs. The Nagpur-born got himself on top of the bounce against Marco Jansen and swiveled a pull over long leg. It became a new record for the former ODI captain with 352 sixes in the format.

Since the beginning of 2022, Rohit has collected 108 sixes in the 50-over format in just 49 innings. That’s more than two over boundaries per innings. UAE’s Muhammad Waseem is in the second position with 81 sixes, but he took 16 innings more than the India opener.

Rohit-Kohli’s partnership has always been memorable for India. One of the biggest reasons for that is how they share different skills as a combo. They bring the charm of the big shots, along with several singles and doubles.

The entire JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi roared throughout the game. When Kohli or Rohit stopped the ball in the field, the sound increased. That was enough to prove how desperate the fans were to see the beloved pair back in action. The anticipation will only grow as the series moves to the second ODI taking place on December 3 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur.

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