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Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma return for India ahead of the South Africa ODI series, boosting morale after the Test defeat.
Virat Kohli (left) and Rohit Sharma during their match-winning partnership. (AP Photo)
Ace Indian batter Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were seen hitting the nets three days ahead of the three-match ODI series against South Africa, with Tilak Varma and Ruturaj Gaikwad also in attendance.
The South Africa series will mark the international return of Rohit and Virat. The duo last featured in the ODI series against Australia Down Under, where India were outplayed in the first two matches and lost the series 1-2.
After a hard start to the series, Rohit and Virat showed their class in the final ODI, stitching together a match-winning stand that gave India a consolation win against Australia. Rohit and Kohli had been unavailable during the two-Test series against South Africa, but will now return to action under KL Rahul’s leadership for the upcoming three-match series.
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The Indian team will be under considerable pressure after the Test series loss, but the return of Rohit and Virat is expected to give the team a much-needed morale boost ahead of the three ODIs.
India are gearing up for the 2027 ODI World Cup and every series featuring Rohit and Virat serves as a reminder that they are still competing to cement their places. The series opener will be played in Ranchi, followed by games on December 3 and 6 in Raipur and Vizag.
Kohli has cemented his status as an ODI powerhouse, amassing 14,255 runs in 305 games. He is the second-highest run-scorer in the format’s history and holds the record for the most hundreds with 51.
Kohli has achieved significant milestones in ODIs, being the fastest to reach 8000, 9000, 10000, 11000, 12000, 13000 and 14000 runs in the format’s history.
Meanwhile, Rohit has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings just days ahead of India’s three-match series against South Africa, beginning Sunday, November 30, in Ranchi.
November 27, 2025, 21:59 IST
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