As the Indian National Cricket Team gears up for the upcoming white-ball series, seasoned batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are on the brink of notable milestones in ODIs. Rohit Sharma is poised to eclipse Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly in a prestigious ranking, while Virat Kohli is nearing a significant achievement in his ODI career.
Following their retirement from T20Is after leading India to victory in the T20 World Cup 2024, Rohit and Virat are set to return for the forthcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka. Despite speculations about taking a break from ODIs, the duo is ready to don the blue jersey once more for their national team.
India’s series against Sri Lanka will kick off with a three-match T20I contest, commencing on July 27 at Pallekele International Stadium. The subsequent ODI series will commence on August 2 at R. Premadasa Stadium, with all three ODIs scheduled at the same venue.
Jasprit Bumrah, who was named Player of the Tournament at the 2024 T20 World Cup, has been given a rest for the Sri Lanka tour. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja, who retired from T20Is following the World Cup, is not included in the ODI squad.
Newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir pushed to have Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli included in the ODI squad due to the limited number of matches before the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Following the Sri Lanka series, India will also face England in another ODI series as part of their preparation for the upcoming tournament.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Eye Massive Milestones
Rohit Sharma has the opportunity to move ahead of former BCCI presdent Sourav Ganguly and become the third-highest run scorer for India in ODI cricket during the upcoming seires in Sri Lanka. Ganguly currently holds the third spot, behind Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar (18426) and Virat Kohli (13848).
| Player | Span | Matches | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 1989-2012 | 463 | 18,426 |
| Virat Kohli | 2008-2023 | 292 | 13,848 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 1992-2007 | 308 | 11,221 |
| Rahul Dravid | 1996-2011 | 340 | 10,768 |
| Rohit Sharma | 2007-2023 | 262 | 10,709 |
Virat Kohli is nearing the milestone of 14,000 ODI runs, requiring just 152 more runs to reach this significant achievement. Should he accomplish this feat, Kohli will join an elite group as only the second Indian batsman to achieve this milestone, following in the footsteps of Sachin Tendulkar. Overall, he would be the third player in history to achieve this milestone after Kumar Sangakkara.
Never Tried To Compare Myself With Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni – Neeraj Chopra
Neeraj Chopra, the Indian javelin sensation, recognizes the increasing attention he receives but maintains he does not measure his fame against that of cricket icons like Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni. He emphasizes that his priority lies in honoring his sport and finding fulfillment in his own accomplishments rather than comparisons with others.
“If you respect your sport and feel satisfied with it, then nothing else should matter. At the Doha Diamond League, I was asked how popular I was in India. I never tried to compare myself with the likes of Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni because I’m very well aware of the reality of what I am in India,” Chopra told Sportstar.
