Indian cricket legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, with a magnificent unbeaten partnership, steered India to a dominant nine-wicket victory over Australia in the third and final One-Day International at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Immediately after sealing the consolation win, the stalwarts confirmed that this three-match series was, in all likelihood, their final assignment on Australian soil.
Rohit, who struck a superb unbeaten century (121 runs), and Kohli, who supported him brilliantly with an unbeaten 74, rolled back the years to chase down Australia’s target of 237 with ease. Their 168-run unbroken stand for the second wicket (in a partnership that equals the record for the joint-most 150+ partnerships in ODIs), highlighted their enduring class, silencing any recent chatter about their form and future.
Speaking to Fox Cricket‘s Adam Gilchrist and Ravi Shastri after the match, both players expressed their deep affection for playing Down Under but were candid about the future.
“I’ve always loved coming here. I enjoy playing cricket here in Australia. Fond memories of 2008 and a nice way to finish getting that knock and getting that win as well,” said Rohit Sharma, who was deservedly named Player of the Series for his haul of 202 runs.
He added a poignant note to his farewell: “I don’t know if we’ll be coming back to Australia, but it was fun all these years that we played here. You know, a lot of good memories, bad memories, but all in all, I’ll take the cricket that I played here.”
Kohli, who has a storied history of success in Australia, kept his thanks short and sweet: “Thank you, Australia. Thank you.”
Their performance was a fitting farewell, concluding a long and loving relationship with a country where they have scored runs for fun in the 50-over format. Despite Australia clinching the series 2-1, the SCG crowd witnessed a vintage display, showering the duo with euphoria and appreciation, continuing a theme of strong fan support throughout the tour’s training sessions and matches.
The veteran pair also took a moment to express their gratitude to the Australian audience. “We want to say thank you as well. I mean, we’ve loved coming to this country and playing in front of such big crowds. And yeah, we’ve played some of our best cricket here as well. So thank you very much for welcoming us so well,” Rohit concluded.
The emphatic victory, which saw India cruise to the target with 69 balls to spare, not only provided a strong finish to the series but also delivered a powerful statement regarding the duo’s commitment to the ODI format ahead of the 2027 World Cup, even as their future trips to Australia appear to be over.