Wed Oct 08 18:52:54 UTC 2025: **End of an Era? Speculation Mounts Over Kohli and Sharma’s Future as Gill Takes Over ODI Captaincy**
New Delhi: Are we witnessing the twilight of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s careers? Whispers are growing louder following Shubman Gill’s appointment as ODI captain for the upcoming series against Australia, replacing Sharma at the helm. Former India player Manoj Tiwary has ignited the debate, suggesting that the treatment of the senior players has been “disrespectful” and could lead to their early retirement.
Both Kohli and Sharma have already retired from T20Is, and Kohli also from tests and while they are part of the ODI squad for the Australia series, Tiwary believes the recent decisions have created an environment where the stalwarts might feel unwanted.
“Virat quietly stepped away from Test cricket… out of self-respect,” Tiwary stated. “And if things continue the same way, I honestly think there’s a possibility that Rohit might also take that step.”
Tiwary further questioned the rationale behind promoting Gill as a potential all-format captain, arguing that Sharma’s consistent success in leading the ODI team made the change unnecessary. “The team’s performance was solid, the results were coming, so what was the need for this change?” he asked.
He expressed concerns about the message being sent to Kohli and Sharma, stating, “After the kind of contribution both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have made for Indian cricket, if they’re being treated like this, it’s nothing short of disrespectful. I genuinely feel that very soon, both of them might decide to announce retirement, possibly after the Australia series.”
While neither Kohli nor Sharma has commented on the speculation, the cricketing world will be closely watching their performance and demeanour during the upcoming ODI series against Australia, with many wondering if it marks the end of an era for two of India’s biggest cricket stars.
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