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“Bogus Talk”: Aakash Chopra Dismisses Vijay Hazare's Impact On Kohli, Rohit's ODI Future

Poulomi Chakraborty

Aakash Chopra On Rohit-Kohli's ODI Future (Source: AFP Photos)Aakash Chopra On Rohit-Kohli's ODI Future (Source: AFP Photos)

As the thrilling Test series against England has been wrapped up, the focus has shifted to some unmissable white-ball action. But amid the buzz, speculation is mounting that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli could be out of India’s ODI plans, signalling a potential farewell to international cricket.

Rumors are swirling that both stalwarts may need to feature in the Vijay Hazare Trophy to prove their form. Reflecting on the chatter, former Indian batter Aakash Chopra remarked that the domestic tournament will not make any big impact on their ODI selection.

Vijay Hazare Trophy Participation Brings No Major Shift In Plans

Before stepping away from the Longer format, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma featured in the Ranji Trophy game. Now, with the ODI series against Australia is coming up, talk is swirling about their possible appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. However, speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra remarked that even strong performances in the domestic tournament won’t affect their selection.

“The chatter about playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the tournament, will happen in December. What's the point? There are nine ODIs for India till the next IPL. That's about it. Just nine days of cricket action for you. You're not playing at all. You're not practising,” he said.


“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli don't have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy; they wouldn't be selected based on their performance in the tournament, let's be honest about this. It's bogus talk. If they had played Tests and left ODIs, staying in the groove would have been easier,” he added.

Aakash Chopra Questions Rohit and Kohli’s Motivation

As per the schedule, Team India will play only six 50-over matches this year, against South Africa and Australia. Because of these limited opportunities, Aakash Chopra has questioned Rohit and Kohli’s motivation in such a sparse competitive environment.

“If you are playing just six ODIs in a year, then there are just six days of game time for you. How will you stay motivated? How will you prepare? How will you stay fit and stay in the best shape? This is what I'm thinking. You should have said that I'll not play ODIs and T20Is, but I'll play Tests. Consider that you had played the series against England, you would have played for 25 days. Then you would get the series against West Indies and South Africa,” he added.

After the Asia Cup 2025 campaign, Team India’s next campaign will be the five-match ODI series against Australia in October 2025. As the countdown begins, fans are eagerly hoping to see the iconic RO-KO duo light up the stage once more.