The backbone of Indian Cricket: Virat Kohli opens up on his equation with Rohit Sharma

At the perceived twilights of their international career, former captain Virat Kohli and the current captain Rohit Sharma remain crucial pillars of the Indian Cricket Team. The duo, together, have been through a rollercoaster journey in the recent past. From going through a batting slump together during India's Test season to scripting the team's victory in Dubai at the ICC Champions Trophy, the seniors have been doing the heavy lifting while guiding the next generation to take up the mantle.

Two champions, debuting at the same time, rising together and winning together, how does the equation between these two look like? Assumptions are many, some nasty, stemming from the time when Virat Kohli left captaincy and Rohit Sharma took over, some significantly wholesome, noted recently following India's Champions Trophy victory. Now, Virat Kohli has offered a genuine glimpse into the dynamics of his relationship with the Indian skipper.

Virat Kohli reflects on his equation with Virat Kohli ahead of MI vs RCB IPL 2025 match

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma began their international journeys just a year apart, Rohit in 2007, followed by Kohli in 2008. Since then, have risen to become two of India’s most formidable names across all formats. Their peak years between 2014 and 2023 saw numerous personal milestones. However, as India remained without any ICC title for over a decade, the duo remained devoid of the accolade in the stretch. However, Indian cricket saw a shift in fortune as the Men in Blue clinched consecutive ICC titles, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy, with Kohli and Rohit playing pivotal roles in both triumphs.

Their leadership has been instrumental too. Virat Kohli is regarded as one of the best Test captains India has ever player under. The former skipper went on to beat multiple overseas records, noting India's resurgence in the SENA countries. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma, brought the ultimate laurels with the team winning two ICC championships under his leadership. Though India narrowly missed the 2023 ODI World Cup, Rohit Sharma and Co. with Kohli as a vital figure, won the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy.

Although rumours of a rift once surfaced a few years ago, both players always maintained mutual respect in public, often praising each other's efforts. In recent times, their on-field chemistry has been more evident than ever, sharing ideas mid-game and celebrating team achievements with genuine camaraderie. As the IPL 2025 clash between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru approaches, the spotlight returns to this iconic duo. Ahead of the face-off at Wankhede, Kohli reflected on his relationship with Rohit, saying that their connection feels organic, built over years of playing together and learning from one another. 

“I think it's a very natural thing to take place when you play with someone for so long and you share so much of your insight of the game initially, your learning from each other, you're kind of growing in your careers at probably the same time, and you share all kind of queries and questions,” Kohli said. 

“So there's a lot of back and forth that happens and also the fact that, you know, we worked very closely in terms of the leadership for the team, so there were always ideas discussed and more or less, we would end up on the same page in terms of the gut feel of that situation - there is a trust factor and do the job for the team,” he added.

While both announced their retirement from T20 Internationals following India’s World Cup victory in 2024, they remain united in their quest to add more silverware to Indian cricket’s cabinet in other formats. The MI vs RCB IPL 2025 match, meanwhile, is scheduled on April 7 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. It is up to see if Rohit Sharma recovers from his injury, one that led him to miss the LSG vs MI fixture.

“We have definitely enjoyed our time playing together, so we were able to make out careers long because when we were young, as I said, it was not certain that we would end up playing for 15 years for India. The journey for so long and consistently, very grateful and very happy for all the memories, all the moments that we've shared and continue to do so,” Kohli concluded.