India captain Rohit Sharma opens up about his long-standing friendship with Virat Kohli as the team prepares for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Rohit Sharma has reflected on his enduring friendship with Virat Kohli as India prepares for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The two senior batters have been teammates for approximately two decades and have shared many of India's greatest cricket moments together. With the 2027 World Cup approaching, Rohit opened up about the nature of their bond ahead of India's three-match ODI series against West Indies.
Both players made their debuts within a year of each other, with Rohit entering international cricket in 2007 and Kohli following in 2008. Since then, they have consistently worked to deliver their best performances for the Indian team across all formats.
"There's a strong camaraderie between the two of us, and we understand what it requires to be at a certain level when you're playing at this level. Methods are different, obviously, but that's how it should be, every individual is different," Rohit told JioHotstar.
"We were together. This started, I think, when we were playing in Australia, or right after Australia when we came to India. That's when this started, and whenever this plays on TV, we look at each other and laugh," he added.
The origins and nature of Rohit and Kohli's friendship
Rohit went on to praise Kohli for his contribution to Indian cricket and said that the Delhi batter will continue winning games for the country as long as he plays.
"For what he has done for the team, for this team, there is no question, there is no asking what has he done. It's there for everyone to see it. And what he is going to do from here on now, I don't think anything has changed. He'll be the same Kohli that we know of: wants to come, prepare well, go get the runs, win games for Team India," Rohit said.
Rohit also reflected on Kohli's leadership qualities and the consistency he has maintained across different roles within the team. The India captain noted that whether Kohli was leading the Test team or playing under Rohit's captaincy, his approach and commitment remained unchanged.
"Yeah, that's what I see with him. When he was captain, pretty much the same. When I was captain, pretty much the same. And I don't see any reason why anything needs to change," Rohit said.
Kohli's World Cup mindset and commitment to Team India
Rohit emphasised that Kohli's experience and understanding of World Cup cricket require no additional explanation or preparation. The 2027 World Cup will be Kohli's final ICC tournament, as he confirmed earlier this month.
"No, no. He has been playing for so many years. Whether it's the '27 World Cup or the '23 World Cup, there's no need to explain it to him. World Cup is World Cup," Rohit said.
Despite their different playing styles and on-field demeanours, Rohit and Kohli share identical goals and a unified vision for the team's success. Their conversations focus on what the game demands rather than tournament-specific strategies.
"Obviously, we're different individuals in terms of how we carry ourselves on the field, but other than that, goal, thinking for the team is pretty much the same: that we have to win the match. We have to win the World Cup, we have to win the tournament, we have to win the series, we have to do well for the team," Rohit said.
"Appreciation, appreciation if something good has happened, it has always been there from both sides," he added.
Also Read: Virat Kohli 139*: All milestones after 1st ODI vs West Indies
In recent years, both players have benefited from reduced touring schedules, allowing them to spend more time with their families between international assignments. This change in their schedules has provided them with a better balance between professional commitments and personal life.
"Otherwise, until a year ago, every 5-7 days we were on tour, so we didn't get much time at home. Now both of us are spending more time at home, which is always nice," Rohit said.