Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after India won the 2025 Champions Trophy
After unexpectedly announcing their retirements from the Test format together, there has been a sense of fear created among the fans. They are completely unaware whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two of India’s best ODI batsmen, would play their last match. Besides this, some recent reports indicate that RoKo will have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy to mark their spot for the 2027 World Cup. Although these reports have turned out to be hilarious, the way in which fans have reacted to the same is even more hilarious.
According to the reports, it was said that BCCI is not looking forward to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the 2027 World Cup team. However, they also made an exception for them to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and this might have triggered some fans to a great extent. They would be watching their idols not be a part of the tournament, which is much-awaited.
Reacting to this, a Rohit fan tweeted by saying that if RoKo does not play for the team in the World Cup, he would support Pakistan in the tournament. It was just a similar situation when MLAs decide to switch their Political Party, as the Rohit fan decided to support India if Rohit and Kohli play, or Pakistan if they don’t play.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are known as all-time greats of football, and they surely don’t need to prove themselves by playing at domestic levels, as fans and teams know what value their experience could add to the team. A Twitter user compared the duo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in this scenario.
He said that telling Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy is like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo participating in the domestic tournaments to prove their worth to the national team. With Kohli and Rohit proving to be India’s best in the 50-over format, this was a great way for the fans to represent their situation ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
To make such news about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma being asked to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy, a Twitter user added some more fun. We all know that Virat Kohli is the GOAT in the ODI format, with his records being hailed all around the world. On the other hand, it is the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, who went from daddy hundreds to T20 starts in this format.
With these two players being asked to present themselves in the domestic format, the fans think it is a shame for them, and it will be much better for them to retire on their own. This was a hilarious remark by the fans to ensure that both Kohli and Rohit retire with dignity and respect, not proving their worth to the team.
Recently, after the birth of his second child, Virat Kohli shifted to London and has been living there with his family for most of the time. When Kohli announced his retirement from the Test format, some fans even trolled him by saying that what if he returned in the India tour of England, with England naming him to their squad.
With the news of Virat Kohli not being in the eyes of selectors for the 2027 World Cup, and him participating in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, a fan tweeted a piece of advice for the King. He said that if this happens, it would be better for Virat Kohli to get citizenship in England and play for the England team in the 2027 World Cup. Imagine the scenes when Kohli would be walking out in the blues, but not India’s blues, England’s blues.
The ICC rankings, which are updated every Wednesday, show that three Indian batsmen, Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli, are present in the top four ICC ODI batsman rankings. With Gill likely to be the next captain for the team in the 50-over format, Kohli and Rohit still stand tall among the others.
However, with BCCI asking them to prove their worth for the 2027 World Cup, it has been challenging for the fans to digest this fact. One of them even tweeted by saying that Gill, placed number one, is expected to play, while those who have dominated even in the 2023 World Cup will have to prove their worth to be a part of the team. This was a perfect way to give a sarcastic taunt to the BCCI management and team selectors.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are known as the most followed players currently in the Indian cricket team. Most of the fans visit the stadiums and even tune into the live streams of the match just to take a glimpse of them. When the BCCI told them to play the Ranji Trophy, the viewership and sponsor prices also increased, particularly for the matches where they were to participate.
With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli being reportedly directed to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy to prove their worth for the 2027 World Cup, fans call it a money-making move by the BCCI. A Twitter user said that this move might be a way for the BCCI to get more sponsor money and much more through the viewership.
Since the ICC rankings got updated, Rohit Sharma now stands at the 2nd spot, while Virat Kohli holds the 4th spot as of now in the ICC Men’s ODI batsman rankings. The cricket board asking them to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy to prove their worth to the team was much more hilarious for the cricket fans than what one could have ever thought.
A Twitter user said that making Kohli and Rohit play the Vijay Hazare Trophy to get a spot for the 2027 World Cup will be just like UPSC Toppers being asked for their LKG certificate to get a job. It was much of a creative way for the fans to compare the difficulty levels and challenges when the game shifts from ICC tournaments to the domestic tournaments.