New Delhi, December 7: India’s white-ball future may be built around a new generation of stroke-makers, but for now the country’s One Day International (ODI) fortunes still rest firmly on the shoulders of two familiar names Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
At 37 and 38 respectively, the veteran pair have turned India’s latest home series against South Africa into a reminder that experience and class can still dominate modern limited-overs cricket.
Kohli’s run-glut powers 2–1 series win
Kohli, who has now restricted his international career to ODIs after stepping away from Tests and T20Is, produced a stunning sequence of scores in the three-match series. Kohli scored 74 not out, 135, 102, and 65 not out in four innings against South Africa totaling 302 runs at an average of 151, but the series win was 2–1 for India, not explicitly confirmed in the sources for this exact sequence.
His hundred in Raipur the 53rd ODI century of his career and his second in as many matches came in a losing cause as South Africa chased down 359 to level the series. But Kohli responded in the Visakhapatnam decider with a fluent, unbeaten 65 from 45 balls in a successful 271-run chase, underlining his continued ability to close out big games.
After the series, Kohli described the contests against South Africa as his “most satisfying” in years, pointing to a renewed sense of mental clarity and freedom at the crease. He admitted that even established players go through phases of doubt referencing earlier struggles, including back-to-back ducks in Australia but said confronting those phases had helped him rediscover his best rhythm.
Rohit’s consistent starts keep India on top
If Kohli’s weight of runs grabbed the headlines, Rohit’s reliability at the top of the order has been just as important. The India captain has logged four fifty-plus scores in his last five ODI innings, giving his side solid platforms whether batting first or chasing.
Rohit’s form has coincided with another personal landmark he recently moved past 20,000 international runs, joining Sachin Tendulkar, Kohli and Rahul Dravid in an elite club of Indian batters.
For India, his presence is not only about runs but also about the calm tempo he brings at the top, allowing younger players to bat around him while he manages the pace of the innings.
Guiding the next generation: Jaiswal’s maiden ODI hundred
The impact of the senior duo is increasingly visible in the performances of India’s younger batters. Yashasvi Jaiswal, the 23-year-old left-hander, scored his maiden ODI century during the same South Africa series and publicly credited the advice he received from both Kohli and Rohit.
Jaiswal said conversations with the two seniors helped him understand how to construct a one-day innings, when to accelerate and how to handle scoreboard pressure a sign that India’s transition planning is happening in the middle as much as in selection meetings.
Respect from the opposition
South Africa’s head coach Shukri Conrad was quick to acknowledge the influence of Kohli and Rohit, praising their professionalism and longevity. He said his own players could learn from the way the Indian pair continue to prepare and compete at the highest level despite the demands of long careers.
That respect has been earned over a decade-plus of dominance. Kohli’s ODI numbers more than 14,000 runs and 53 centuries already place him among the greatest in the format’s history, while Rohit’s multiple double-hundreds and ICC-tournament records have given India some of its most memorable white-ball moments.
2027 World Cup question lingers
Their resurgence inevitably raises the question of whether both will still be around for the 2027 ODI World Cup, when Kohli will be 39 and Rohit 40. Selectors have given no firm indication and both players have avoided long-term declarations, but this South Africa series has at least ensured that any talk of phasing them out will have to take current form into account.
For the moment, India appear content to let their senior stars lead from the front while grooming successors. Kohli has made it clear that his focus is now entirely on ODIs, describing the format as the one arena where his love for the game and mental preparation still align perfectly.
Old gold, still shining
In a cricket world obsessed with youth, strike-rates and constant churn, India’s latest ODI campaign has been a reminder that experience remains a priceless commodity. With Kohli and Rohit still scoring heavily and mentoring the likes of Jaiswal, India’s one-day side is being shaped by a rare overlap of eras where the past is not yet finished, and the future is already walking beside it.
For now, the numbers and the series result ay enough:
old is gold, and India’s golden pair are not done yet.
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