Despite fewer ODIs in 2025, Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli found the perfect platform to roll back the years with big performances.
In a cricketing landscape increasingly dominated by T20 leagues and crowded Test schedules, ODIs have quietly slipped into the background. Fewer matches, shorter windows and shrinking attention spans have made the 50-over format feel almost transitional. Yet in 2025, whenever ODIs did make an appearance, they came with a familiar sense of assurance. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli still owned the biggest moments.
From the Chamapions Trophy in February to the home series against South Africa at the end of the year, ODIs offered a rare but fitting stage for a Ro-Ko encore. Not because of volume, but because of impact. Runs, partnerships, leadership and crowd pull all pointed in one direction. The legends still matter, and ODIs still matter when they are around.
Brilliant performances by both legends at critical moments in CT 25
The story of 2025 truly began at the Champions Trophy. India’s title win was not just about collective brilliance; it was shaped by calm heads delivering under pressure. Rohit Sharma, leading the side, set the tone throughout the tournament. His approach was measured, his decision-making sharp, and his presence reassuring in high-stakes chases. His innings in the final stood out for its balance, combining early control with authority when the game tightened.
Virat Kohli, meanwhile, did what he has done for more than a decade. He absorbed pressure and turned it into runs. Across the tournament, he remained India’s most dependable batter, especially when wickets fell early or momentum threatened to swing away. The numbers reflected his influence. Among India’s top run-getters in ODIs in 2025, both Rohit and Kohli were right at the top.
More than the runs, it was the timing that stood out. These were not dead-rubber contributions. They performed when India needed them the most, a defining trait of elite careers.
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Ro-Ko’s Sydney magic
After the Champions Trophy, ODI cricket took a backseat and India’s focus shifted heavily towards the shorter format. When the team eventually travelled to Australia later in the year, expectations were cautious. The tour did not begin smoothly. India lost early momentum, and Virat Kohli went through a rare lean patch that included a duck. Questions once again surfaced around rhythm and form.
Then came Sydney. The third ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground felt like a step back in time. Chasing a competitive target of 237, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli produced a partnership that reminded everyone of their golden years. After the early dismissal of Shubman Gill, the two senior batters took complete control. They stitched together an unbeaten 168-run partnership for the second wicket and guided India to a comfortable nine-wicket win with more than eleven overs to spare.
Rohit was in majestic touch, finishing unbeaten on 121. His innings was full of crisp timing, authoritative pull shots and effortless hitting through the infield. Kohli played the perfect supporting role, remaining unbeaten on 74. He rotated strike with ease, found gaps consistently and ensured the chase never drifted.
That 168-run stand did more than win a match. It reminded fans why Ro-Ko remain one of the most feared and loved duos in ODI cricket.
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Virat turns clock back in home ODIs against South Africa
If Sydney served as a reminder, the home series against South Africa was a clear statement, especially from Virat Kohli. Playing in familiar conditions, he turned back the clock with a series that ranked among his best in recent years. Across the ODIs, Kohli crossed the 300-run mark, scoring two centuries and one half-century with remarkable consistency.
What stood out most was control. Against both pace and spin, he dictated terms, picked lengths early and punished loose deliveries. Even in matches where others struggled to find rhythm, Kohli’s presence ensured India never lost command of the innings.
Rohit complemented him effectively. While his scores were not always massive, his contributions at the top laid the platform for big totals. Together, they produced multiple fifty-plus scores, anchoring India’s batting dominance throughout the series.
Numbers that define 2025
ODIs in 2025 were limited, but the numbers still tell a strong story. From the Champions Trophy to the South Africa series, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli finished among India’s top five run-getters in ODIs for the year. Kohli, in particular, ended the year as India’s leading ODI run-scorer, averaging 65.10.
These were not inflated numbers built over long bilateral tours. They came in high-pressure tournaments, challenging overseas conditions and competitive home series. Efficiency, not volume, defined their year.
Perhaps the most underrated impact of Ro-Ko’s 2025 run was felt beyond the scoreboard. Packed stadiums in Australia and full houses during the home ODIs against South Africa reflected their enduring pull at a time when the format’s relevance is often questioned. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli made people care again, drawing fans not just for results, but to watch two greats excel in a format that still rewards patience, skill and adaptability.
With the ODI calendar thinning out once more, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are set to shift focus back to other commitments, but India’s next 50-over assignment is not too far away. Competitive ODIs may be fewer in this phase of the cycle, yet whenever Ro-Ko return, expectations remain unchanged. India will be back in ODI action from 11 January 2026, beginning a three-match series against New Zealand, with the first ODI at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi (Vadodara). As 2025 clearly showed, ODIs might come less frequently, but when Rohit and Kohli are involved, the format still carries weight, relevance, and the promise of something special.
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