There is a famous saying in cricket: “Leave the game before the game leaves you.” It is a phrase often reserved for greats whose careers outlast their prime. After the first ODI against England, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have once again found themselves at the centre of that conversation.
The conversation started after India’s attempt to unleash the experienced ‘RoKo’ duo at the top backfired spectacularly, with both Rohit and Kohli dismissed for paltry scores inside the first 10 overs. Rohit, in particular, continues to endure a worrying slump, with his batting average dropping to just 35.60 across his last 10 ODI innings.
When it comes down to strike rates, Hitman, who was once known for blasting away the bowlers with his explosive batting, struggles even to time the ball properly. Rohit’s strike rate at the top will be important for Team India’s chances of getting a perfect start in the upcoming ODI World Cup 2027.
Here is a breakdown of the last 10 innings of Rohit Sharma
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Score | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 29, 2023 | England | Lucknow (World Cup) | 86 | 84.31 |
| November 2, 2023 | Sri Lanka | Mumbai (World Cup) | 87 | 110.13 |
| November 5, 2023 | South Africa | Kolkata (World Cup) | 24 | 181.82 |
| November 12, 2023 | Netherlands | Bengaluru (World Cup) | 40 | 71.43 |
| November 15, 2023 | New Zealand | Mumbai (World Cup Semifinal) | 61 | 86.96 |
| November 19, 2023 | Australia | Ahmedabad (World Cup Final) | 47 | 87.04 |
| June 13, 2026 | Afghanistan | Dharamshala | 16 | 100.00 |
| June 17, 2026 | Afghanistan | Lucknow | 48 | 123.08 |
| June 20, 2026 | Afghanistan | Chennai | 79 | 114.49 |
| July 14, 2026 | England | Edgbaston | 11 | 84.62 |
The last 10 innings have also proved a worrisome picture for the hitman when it comes to the white ball. His inconsistency in converting starts into substantial scores. While he crossed the 50-run mark three times, five innings ended below 20.
Virat Kohli’s ODI Performance
When the spotlight shifts to Virat Kohli, a peculiar conundrum surrounds the former India captain. While Kohli has managed to score runs in plenty, all of them have come in the subcontinent conditions.
But when it comes to playing in foreign conditions, Kohli struggled in Australia, with Sydney being the last place where he looked in complete control. GG and co know that while his consistent scoring spree will be a bonus for the team, the string of bad runs for the Indian legend will raise eyebrows.
Virat Kohli last 10 ODIs
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Score | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09 Mar 2025 | New Zealand | Dubai | 1 | 50.0 |
| 19 Oct 2025 | Australia | Perth | 0 | 0.0 |
| 23 Oct 2025 | Australia | Adelaide | 0 | 0.0 |
| 25 Oct 2025 | Australia | Sydney | 74* | 91.3 |
| 30 Nov 2025 | South Africa | Ranchi | 135 | 112.5 |
| 03 Dec 2025 | South Africa | Raipur | 102 | 109.6 |
| 06 Dec 2025 | South Africa | Visakhapatnam | 65* | 144.4 |
| 11 Jan 2026 | New Zealand | Vadodara | 93 | 102.2 |
| 14 Jan 2026 | New Zealand | Rajkot | 23 | 79.3 |
| 18 Jan 2026 | New Zealand | Indore | 124 | 114.8 |
With the England series starting a long summer for the Indian team, should BCCI look beyond RoKo? Probably not immediately. But if things remain the same during the West Indies and New Zealand series as well, Gambhir might have to look beyond RoKo.
Story first published: Tuesday, July 14, 2026, 21:32 [IST]
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