Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed disappointment over how the team’s long-term plans were communicated to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of the Australia tour. Shubman Gill was named the new ODI captain, ending Rohit’s successful stint as leader.
Despite the inclusion of both Rohit and Kohli in the 15-man squad of the three-match series, it remains unclear how the two will fit in the team in the long run, especially with the 2027 ODI World Cup in sight.
Ravichandran Ashwin indicated to management of the team to have been more open with the two veterans with regards to long-term planning once they exit T20Is after the 2024 T20 World Cup. Thereafter, the two players have been playing few ODIs and Tests since then with the player taking a break before the England tour.
“I really hope the conversation has happened with Virat and Rohit. But if the conversation has happened now, why did it not happen after they said they were retiring after the 2024 T20 World Cup? It could have happened then itself. Had it happened back then, they could have thought about whether to continue playing or not, because this is the direction the team is wishing to head towards,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“But now, this current situation leaves a lot of uninformed space. When there is uninformed decision-making that is put outside, you leave a lot of room for speculation. Why is the communication not coming from the players? Because there is not much communication happening, it is not going from here to there. If the communication is not clean, transparent, and not done with the vision moving forward, it leaves the players in a very tender space. Considering the magnitude of Virat and Rohit’s contribution to Indian cricket, I think there should be better communication not only to them, but to everyone else.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
The former spinner admitted that it would be a difficult task for the veteran combination to maintain their form and fitness with little 50-over games on the schedule for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
“Let’s face it, if Rohit and Virat get to the 2027 World Cup at this age, I would really, really, take my cap off to both of them because it needs a lot of commitment. They are not getting much cricket beyond the IPL, so it would be an incredible achievement, but we need to give them the chance to attempt the achievement.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
After the Australia tour, India has a few ODIs scheduled against South Africa and New Zealand during their home season. However, it is followed by an extended break in the first half of 2026, with their next task being a July tour of England.
R Ashwin Highlights Need for Better Communication Towards Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
Team India has gained a reputation in recent years where it is pushing veterans out of the exit door. Ravichandran Ashwin and Cheteshwar Pujara have just retired out of international cricket, and Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have also chosen to exit the Test Cricket suddenly.
As Ashwin feels, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are rated legends of the Indian team and so, their cases should have been handled by team management with far more care.
“All the new guys on the block who are playing with the Indian team, they won’t know the magnitude of what all of this leaves on the minds of players like Virat and Rohit. When the new guys reach that stage of their careers then they will understand that what happened to them will also end up happening to us. More than anything else, I would not go into right or wrong, but just a little bit of sensitivity was necessary, considering their contributions to Indian cricket. The communication should have been even more solid and clear.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
The iconic combination will return to international cricket after a seven-month absence with the India-Australia ODI series. The series opener is slated for October 19 at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
