Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's Comeback Postponed Amid Player Request for Break
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s return delayed as players request rest after England series. No matches until Asia Cup in September, says report.
File photo of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul. Their comeback now hinges on India's October tour of Australia.
India’s senior cricketers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will have to wait longer before returning to international cricket. As per a Times of India report, a scheduled limited-overs series in Sri Lanka this August has been scrapped following a collective request from current Indian players for a break after the grueling England Test series.
The development means neither Rohit nor Kohli — both currently active only in ODIs — will return to the field before mid-October, barring the announcement of a new series.
Sri Lanka Series Dropped, Players Granted Rest
After the recently concluded five-Test series against England — which saw all matches stretch to the fifth day — the Indian squad was initially expected to face Bangladesh in August. However, that series has now been pushed to September 2026, citing scheduling concerns.
To fill the August void, BCCI reportedly received an offer from Sri Lanka for a T20I and ODI series, which would have marked the return of Rohit and Kohli. But the tour has been shelved, with players granted complete rest.
“The players requested for a break after the England series. A packed calendar lies ahead, including a white-ball series in Australia,” a source was quoted as saying.
Next Stop: Asia Cup in September
India will now resume international duties with the Asia Cup 2025, which begins on September 9 in T20 format. The next confirmed ODI fixtures are against Australia from October 19, meaning fans may not see Rohit or Kohli in action until at least the third week of October.
Rohit and Kohli last featured in the Champions Trophy 2025 held in February and haven’t played since.
Ganguly Reacts: “Indian Cricket Stops for No One”
Former BCCI President Sourav Ganguly weighed in on India’s recent Test series draw against England, applauding the performance of the young squad led by Shubman Gill in the absence of senior stars.
“Indian cricket stops for no one. There is so much talent. Look at the way they all batted — outstanding,” Ganguly said in an interview with Sports Tak.
He further compared India’s current bench strength to earlier transitions in Indian cricket:
“When Sunil Gavaskar left, Sachin came. Then Dravid, Sehwag, Laxman. After them came Kohli. Now, Jaiswal, Pant, and Gill are stepping up.”
