Ro-Ko: After the Sydney masterclass, what's in store for the two icons?

A day after their masterclass for the unbeaten 168-run stand in Sydney, the uneasy question over the international future of Ro-Ko has come back to haunt their legion of fans again. While the Men in Blue, the T20 World Cup champions, take a fresh guard for the five-match series against Aussies under Suryakumar Yadav from Wednesday, the Big Two will step away from public gaze for the next one month.

An unfamiliar scenario for them, who had been India’s all-format go to batters till June 2024 when they quit the shortest format and then the Tests earlier this year. While Kohli is expected to leave for joining his family in England, Rohit has headed for Mumbai and they will only resurface for the three-match ODI series against the Proteas – starting in Ranchi on 30 November.

The Sydney show, along with Rohit’s gritty 73 in Adelaide, showed that the two veterans are not short on hunger to continue – though it’s too early to talk about their chances to play the 2027 ICC World Cup.

Interestingly, both looked up for the challenge when Adam Gilchrist said on air on Saturday that he wanted to see them in action in the showpiece which can offer Rohit a chance to realise his dream of laying hands on the 50-overs World Cup.

There are as many as nine ODIs lined up for India over the next nine months which offers them the duo opportunity to show that they still have it in them – three each against South Africa and the Kiwis at home and one away against England in mid 2026.

The matches, however, are staggered for any professional cricketer aspiring to remain in international arena – raising hopes of them starring in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in December-January.

However, since the semi-finals and finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy overlap with New Zealand’s tour of India, the two might choose to participate only in the group stage matches. Notwithstanding the euphoria over the efforts of both in Sydney, there is no gainsaying that more game-time is a must and a number of pundits have already weighed on the subject – including the plainspeaking Ravi Ashwin.

‘’If you need their services, you have to find a way. For example, the India A series happened, so you need to ask them to play that series because there is not much 50-over cricket. They should have said that if you don’t play the series, I don’t think you fit in the plan,’’ the retired off spinner suggested on his YouTube channel.

 Ashwin is not off-the-mark as at least one of the two four-day games of India A (led by Rishabh Pant) against the visiting Proteas in Bengaluru could have offered a perfect opportunity. It may be noted that while waxing eloquent about their masterclass, skipper Shubman Gill revealed that the think tank will take a call on how to engage Rohit and Kohli in match practice after the South Africa matches.

 Asked about the issue, Gill said after the third ODI: ‘’We haven’t talked about it yet. But I think once South Africa (ODI) series is over (on 6 December), there will be a gap in international cricket before the New Zealand ODI series (11 January, 2026). So I think then we will see how to keep the players in touch. Then I think a decision will be taken.’’

Upcoming ODIs for India

India vs South Africa 3 ODIs

 30 November: Ranchi

3 December: Raipur

6 December: Vizag

India vs New Zealand: 3 ODIs

11 January: Vadodara

14 January: Rajkot

18 January: Indore

India vs England: 3 ODIs

14 July: Birmingham

16 July: Cardiff

19 July: Lord’s