Australian captain Pat Cummins, who will miss the upcoming series against India due to a back injury, made a bold statement about Indian cricket stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Cummins stated that the ODI series will be the final opportunity for fans in Australia to see the batting duo in action on the field.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to feature in the ODI leg of India’s white-ball tour of Australia. The veteran duo will be playing international cricket for the first time in eight months. They last represented India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final, where the Men in Blue defeated New Zealand in Dubai.
This Might Be the Last Chance – Pat Cummins on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma
Speaking to JioHotstar, Pat Cummins shared that Australian fans could have the final opportunity to see Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma play in Australia. He stated that they receive support from the crowd whenever they take the field.
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“Virat and Rohit have been part of almost every Indian side for the last 15 years, so this might be the last chance for the Australian public to see them playing out here,” Cummins told JioHotstar.
“They’ve obviously been champions of the game for India and are always very well supported. Whenever we play them, the crowd gets loud,” he added.
It’s A Shame To Miss the White-Ball Series – Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins will miss India’s white-ball tour, including the five-match T20I series, due to injury. He expressed disappointment at missing the action and added that it is difficult to miss a high-profile series, especially with large crowds anticipated.
“It’s a shame to miss the white-ball series against India. I think the crowds are going to be huge. There’s already a lot of excitement built up here in Australia,” Cummins said.
“So, whenever you miss a game, it’s disappointing. But missing a big series like this is always a bit harder to take,” he added.
Team India lost 1-2 when they last played an ODI series in Australia. After the COVID-19 lockdown, the Men in Blue struggled in a high-scoring series but managed to avoid a complete whitewash.
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma’s Records in ODI Cricket For India
Virat Kohli has scored 14,181 runs in 302 ODIs at an average of 57.88 with a strike rate of 93.34, including 51 centuries and 74 half-centuries. He is in third place on the all-time run-scorers list. On Australian soil, Kohli has scored 2,451 runs in 50 ODIs at 54.46, including eight centuries.
Rohit Sharma has scored 11,168 runs in 273 ODIs at an average of 48.76, with 32 centuries and 58 fifties. In Australia, he has scored 2,407 runs in 46 games at 57.31, including eight hundreds.
The duo were instrumental in India’s Champions Trophy triumph, with Rohit captaining the side to victory. However, he has been replaced by Shubman Gill as India’s new ODI captain ahead of the upcoming Australia ODIs. The decision was made with an eye on building towards the 2027 World Cup.
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