In January, it was the very same Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Rohit Sharma was forced to drop himself from the team. Having spoken to him on India’s last practice day, his words still ring loud in my ears. It turned out to be the last time he played for India in whites. In the very same match, with Jasprit Bumrah walking off with an injury, Virat Kohli led the team only to see India lose the match and the series. Batting failures in both innings meant his last Test was little better than Rohit’s. For every Indian fan out there, it ended in pain.
Fast forward to today, and it was the same venue. Draped in blue, all had come to see the two legends do it one final time in Australia. And each played a match-winning hand. Rohit with a hundred and Kohli with a half-century to give India a much-needed win.
Even the cricket gods didn’t desert them. As true devotees of the sport, they deserved it. Their legion of fans wanted it, and the sport needed it. Post these efforts, all retirement talk should be put to rest. As I have said countless times, all discussion should be after the nine games between now and January. Just like the last two innings don’t prove anything, this one half-century doesn’t mean Kohli can play World Cup 2027. But what it has shown, and shown conclusively, is that he still has the game left. If he can figure out ways to stay in touch and play domestic cricket, there is reason to believe he can power on.
Rohit, on the other hand, has settled the debate. India’s highest scorer in the series with a hundred and a 73 to his name, he has earned the right to play on. It is ultimately about performance and nothing else really matters. Compared to Adelaide, Rohit was much more fluent tonight and played an innings of real quality and character.
And for every fan who made it to the SCG this weekend, it was a night to remember. Rohit and Kohli winning a game for India in their last dance down under is the stuff of folklore. That’s what they got, and that’s what sport is all about.
While these two men have scored countless fifties and hundreds and won umpteen matches for India, tonight will stay special for both. As proud performers, they now know that they can still do the job at the highest level and will play on, not on the basis of reputations. They needed this win, and needed it badly. If you are a cricket fan, you will sleep well tonight. After all, the game is not all that cruel.
I don’t know if Rohit will score another 100. Maybe he will. But what is certain is that this hundred at the SCG is redemption. At a ground where he was forced to drop himself, to being named man of the match, is testimony to his hard work and commitment to the game. There are reasons why this duo are two of the best ever. The doggedness on evidence tonight is a key ingredient.
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