India’s ODI series vs Australia Down Under begins on October 19. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are making their international comeback as their last game was the Champions Trophy final vs New Zealand on March 9. There is a lot of speculation about this being their last ODI series. An ODI retirement also means an international farewell since ‘Hitman’ and ‘King’ quit T20Is and Tests in 2024 and earlier this year respectively.

Coach Gautam Gambhir said to focus on the present when asked if Rohit and Kohli were part of the 2027 ODI World Cup plans. On the other hand, skipper Gill said that they very much were. Now BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has clarified that this is not Rohit and Kohli’s last series and they will leave when they want to.

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While this may not be their ODI farewell but it will most likely be the last time the Australian public get to see them in action. Even if they are around till the 2027 ODI World Cup, there are no ODI tours to Australia in the next two years. So the odds of them being there post 2027 whenever it happens is extremely unlikely. Kohli will be 39 at the time of the ICC event and Rohit will be 40.

Aussie skipper Pat Cummins, who is not playing due to an injury, said that this may be the last time the Australian public see these two legends in action. He’s not wrong to be honest as time is not on either of the players’ side.

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"Virat and Rohit have been part of almost every Indian side for the last 15 years, so this might be the last chance for the Australian public to see them playing out here. They've obviously been champions of the game for India and are always very well supported. Whenever we play them, the crowd gets loud," he said while speaking to JioHotstar.

Rohit has the chance to become the highest six-hitter in ODIs if he clears the ground eight times in the three games. Kohli needs 54 runs to become the second highest ODI run-getter of all time. Will they both achieve this personal goals in the upcoming series? Only time will tell!