After Test retirement, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma set to return to action with THIS crucial series; Check schedule

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have recently captured attention by announcing their retirements from Test cricket, signaling the conclusion of their extraordinary journeys in the longest format of the sport. Although both cricketing legends were scheduled to tour England for a five-match Test series, they ultimately chose to withdraw from this format. Following their leadership in guiding India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, both former T20I captains have now redirected their focus exclusively to ODI cricket.

Recently, Virat and Rohit played crucial roles in securing India's triumph in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and fans are eagerly looking forward to their return in the Blue jersey. The pair is set to make their comeback when the Men in Blue travel to Australia for a white-ball series in October-November.

They will enjoy a month-long hiatus before facing South Africa in their next ODI, which is scheduled from November 30 to December 6. After the series against South Africa, the seasoned batters will take another brief break before returning in January 2026, when India hosts New Zealand for a white-ball series. The BCCI revealed the schedule for this series on Saturday (June 14).

Virat and Rohit will commence their 2026 season on January 11, with their first match taking place at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. The second ODI is slated for January 14 in Rajkot, followed by the third ODI on January 18 in Indore.

After the three ODIs, the two teams will compete in five T20Is. Importantly, Rohit will continue to lead India in ODIs, while Suryakumar Yadav will take charge of the T20I team. Shubman Gill will act as the vice-captain for both formats. Following the New Zealand series, fans can anticipate seeing Virat and Rohit in action during IPL 2026. India is expected to participate in more ODIs in 2026 as they prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup, where both legends are anticipated to leave their mark.

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