Rohit-Kohli's ODI return: What really happened?

• Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli face scrutiny after poor ODI starts
• Rohit's average has dropped to 35.60 across his last 10 innings
• Poor form may force Gambhir to look beyond the duo for 2027 World Cup

There is a famous saying in cricket: "Leave the game before the game leaves you. " It is a phrase often reserved for greats whose careers outlast their

prime. After the first ODI against England, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have once again found themselves at the centre of that conversation.

The conversation started after India's attempt to unleash the experienced 'RoKo' duo at the top backfired spectacularly, with both Rohit and Kohli dismissed for paltry scores inside the first 10 overs. Rohit, in particular, continues to endure a worrying slump, with his batting average dropping to just 35.60 across his last 10 ODI innings.

When it comes down to strike rates, Hitman, who was once known for blasting away the bowlers with his explosive batting, struggles even to time the ball properly. Rohit's strike rate at the top will be important for Team India's chances of getting a perfect start in the upcoming ODI World Cup 2027.

Here is a breakdown of the last 10 innings of Rohit Sharma

Date	Opponent	Venue	Score	Strike Rate
October 29, 2023	England	Lucknow (World Cup)	86	84.31
November 2, 2023	Sri Lanka	Mumbai (World Cup)	87	110.13
November 5, 2023	South Africa	Kolkata (World Cup)	24	181.82
November 12, 2023	Netherlands	Bengaluru (World Cup)	40	71.43
November 15, 2023	New Zealand	Mumbai (World Cup Semifinal)	61	86.96
November 19, 2023	Australia	Ahmedabad (World Cup Final)	47	87.04
June 13, 2026	Afghanistan	Dharamshala	16	100.00
June 17, 2026	Afghanistan	Lucknow	48	123.08
June 20, 2026	Afghanistan	Chennai	79	114.49
July 14, 2026	England	Edgbaston	11	84.62

The last 10 innings have also proved a worrisome picture for the hitman when it comes to the white ball. His inconsistency in converting starts into substantial scores. While he crossed the 50-run mark three times, five innings ended below 20.

'RoKo' In ODI's🏏🇮🇳

Here is the report card of India's fabled partnership🚨

How are India’s modern-day legends faring in their recent One-Day International outings? Let’s dive straight into the data from their last 10 innings.#CricketTwitter #TeamIndia #RohitSharma… pic.twitter.com/zcIF01sBva

— myKhel.com (@mykhelcom) July 14, 2026

Virat Kohli's ODI Performance

When the spotlight shifts to Virat Kohli, a peculiar conundrum surrounds the former India captain. While Kohli has managed to score runs in plenty, all of them have come in the subcontinent conditions.

But when it comes to playing in foreign conditions, Kohli struggled in Australia, with Sydney being the last place where he looked in complete control. GG and co know that while his consistent scoring spree will be a bonus for the team, the string of bad runs for the Indian legend will raise eyebrows.

Virat Kohli last 10 ODIs

Date	Opponent	Venue	Score	Strike Rate
09 Mar 2025	New Zealand	Dubai	1	50.0
19 Oct 2025	Australia	Perth	0	0.0
23 Oct 2025	Australia	Adelaide	0	0.0
25 Oct 2025	Australia	Sydney	74*	91.3
30 Nov 2025	South Africa	Ranchi	135	112.5
03 Dec 2025	South Africa	Raipur	102	109.6
06 Dec 2025	South Africa	Visakhapatnam	65*	144.4
11 Jan 2026	New Zealand	Vadodara	93	102.2
14 Jan 2026	New Zealand	Rajkot	23	79.3
18 Jan 2026	New Zealand	Indore	124	114.8

With the England series starting a long summer for the Indian team, should BCCI look beyond RoKo? Probably not immediately. But if things remain the same during the West Indies and New Zealand series as well, Gambhir might have to look beyond RoKo.