Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra reckons the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy could be the last ICC event for the veteran trio of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja. The trio decided to retire from the T20I format after leading India to glory in the World Cup 2024.
India hasn’t qualified for the 2025 ICC World Test Championship final whereas the next major ODI event will be the 2027 World Cup. Chopra reckons Kohli, Rohit, and Jadeja might not be playing at that time.
Kohli and Rohit are also under the pump for their inconsistent performances in the red-ball cricket in the recent past and the duo will need to turn the tables in the Champions Trophy. While Rohit recently scored a century in the second ODI against England, Kohli scored a fifty in the final game.
“I am saying with a heavy heart that you are right. There is a strong possibility. The Champions Trophy is about to happen and after that, there will be another ICC event this year, which is the WTC (World Test Championship) final and we haven’t reached there. So none among Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja will play that,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“After that, the ICC event next year is the T20 World Cup but all three have retired from that format. So all three won’t play there as well. The ODI World Cup will be in 2027, which is a bit too far. The world will look very different by 2027. I think the players also feel this could be their last,” he observed.
Chopra noted that Kohli and Jadeja are still at the top of their fitness and added it would not be a question if they can play till 2027.
“We always say never say never, that you might see Rohit playing the next World Cup and Virat and Jadeja could be seen for sure as he (Jadeja) is super fit. We don’t talk about Jaddu’s fitness that much. He is as fit as Kohli and might be fitter than him, but we talk about Kohli remaining fit till 2027. The question won’t be whether these people can play till then,” he said.
“The question will be whether Indian cricket can survive without them or not. The question should always be how long Indian cricket needs a particular player and whether a better option is available at that time. I feel there is a strong possibility this could be the last ICC event for Rohit, Jadeja and even for Kohli,” Chopra observed.
India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
