Aakash Chopra Highlights Rohit-Kohli ODI Schedule Concern
As Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli continue their ODI journey in preparation for the 2027 World Cup, former India opener Aakash Chopra has pointed out a severe structural flaw.
Chopra noted the long pauses between ODI series as a recurrent issue that can damage the form and consistency of the seasoned batters in the format.
On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, India and England commenced their three-match ODI series. India won the opening ODI by six wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
After missing earlier assignments due to injury management and workload concerns, both Rohit and Kohli are now members of India’s ODI team.
They have unforeseen gaps in their match practice leading up to their previous World Cup campaign due of this pattern of unavailability and the sparseness of ODI cricket around the world.
“Rohit and Kohli, this will always be a concern for them because an ODI series is normally of three matches. There is a series, then there is nothing for two months, then there is a series, and then nothing for two months,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“Virat didn’t play against Afghanistan either. Rohit still played there. So when will Virat’s next ODI series come? I think September. So that is a significant gap, and it keeps coming continuously,” he noted.
The problem of retaining focus: Aakash Chopra on the tempo of Rohit and Kohli
There is more to the break between series than only missing a few games. For any hitter, rhythm gets difficult when ODI assignments are spaced months apart. Aakash Chopra went into detail about how the irregularities in white-ball cricket contribute to the pressure.
“A three-match series concludes in seven to eight days. After three months, there would be another one. “It’s true that had they continued playing Test cricket and left ODIs, staying in the groove would have been a lot easier,” Aakash Chopra remarked. “Gaps are just incredibly huge, and you won’t play first-class cricket in between.”
Chopra loved their ancestry despite the scheduling challenges. He highlighted the importance of each remaining series for the 37-year-old Kohli and the 39-year-old Rohit, saying, “So you want to score runs.”
They rarely fail in the same match. They did in the last encounter, but they have a fantastic record versus England. You’d want both of them to score runs because this could be their final England tour,” Aakash Chopra said.
With less than a year until the 2027 World Cup in Namibia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, each series has become vital for building momentum and form.
Both players have strong records on English soil. Since the next ODI assignment is set for September, following the completion of the England series on July 19, the current three-match rubber provides a crucial chance for match practice and rhythm-building.
