BIG BREAKING: Australia white-ball tour could be the last ODI series for ROKO

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's career longevity seems to be at risk as the upcoming ODI tour to Australia could well be the final international assignment of their career. While many had anticipated the veteran duo to push on till the 2027 ODI World Cup before calling time, it now seems that their days in the ODI format are numbered. 

According to a report from Dainik Jagran, both Rohit and Kohli could miss out as the team management is looking to build a young team and get them battle-ready ahead of the next World Cup, which is slated to be held in South Africa and Zimbabwe. As a consequence, the duo's final ODI appearance could be as far away as the Australia ODI series, which will be held later this year in October. 

See also: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to return in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26? Report drops bombshell

So what does the report entail?

The Dainik Jagran report reveals some ground-breaking insights. According to the recently published report, the management is more inclined to feature more youngsters in a bid to include some fresh, energetic talent. If Rohit and Virat are to retain their spots, then they will be required to perform in List-A tournaments such as the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VIT) to prove their form and fitness. It is learnt that the new era for Team India has begun, as the team management has a long-term vision of grooming the existing young talent to make them become the next big thing in world cricket.

India's ODI tour will commence on October 19 and end on October 25. A total of three ODI games will be played. Reports suggest that a big announcement is expected before the series kicks off. Should the dreadful retirement news break out, it will mark the end of an exemplary era for Indian cricket. In Rohit's absence, India's newly-appointed Test captain Shubman Gill could take over the captaincy reins in the white-ball format. Gill had a stellar red-ball tour to England where he amassed over 700 runs at a jaw-dropping average of nearly 75 and played an instrumental role in helping India secure a hard-fought 2-2 draw.