Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma appeared completely unbothered by the growing chatter around them as the two senior pros went through a high-intensity net session ahead of the second ODI against South Africa in Raipur on Wednesday. Despite constant speculation about their long-term future, especially with the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup in the background, the stalwarts showed no signs of distraction on Tuesday evening.
Virat Kohli playing big shots in nets preparing himself for 2nd ODI 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Nn5gU77Ddo
— Avinash (@AVI__VK_18) December 2, 2025
The duo, who played pivotal roles in India’s recent ODI wins against Australia and South Africa, trained together under lights, facing an extended spell of throw-downs. Kohli, in particular, was in commanding touch as he faced Raghu (right-arm) and Nuwan Seneviratne (left-arm). Both specialists cranked up the pace, and while Kohli middled most deliveries, a few fiery balls from Raghu zipped past his bat. His clean hits drew admiration from those watching.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir monitored the entire session closely, positioned strategically between the two nets. When Kohli finished his practice, he rested both bats on his shoulders and walked past Gambhir without exchanging a word—a moment that did not go unnoticed given recent developments in Indian cricket. Rohit Sharma, who wrapped up soon after, took a brief pause to chat with Gambhir before heading to the dressing room.
While Kohli and Rohit naturally drew the spotlight, the intensity in the adjoining nets was equally fierce. Other Indian players put in strong sessions as they prepared to seal the series, having already taken a 1-0 lead with the win in Ranchi on Sunday.
The approach among the batters was clear: be aggressive from the start, especially with Wednesday’s match on the black-soil pitch at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium, which could again lead to a high-scoring contest.
Yashasvi Jaiswal impressed with powerful leg-side shots that sailed into the stands. Rishabh Pant, the last batter to take his turn in the nets, also went through a sharp session as the team fine-tuned preparations.