“What motivation will they have?” – Manoj Tiwary opens up on whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should play domestic cricket [Exclusive]

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Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from T20I cricket last year. During the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, they decided to step away from the longest format of the game. The two stalwarts of Indian cricket will only be playing in the ODI format. Both of them have been named in India’s squad for the forthcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, starting on October 19.

However, Rohit was sacked from the captaincy of the ODI team, being replaced by the 26-year-old Shubman Gill. Some fans and experts feel that Rohit and Kohli should be playing in domestic cricket to stay in touch, especially because they harbour hopes of representing the Men in Blue in the 2027 ODI World Cup.

However, former India all-rounder Manoj Tiwary feels that Rohit and Kohli have contributed a lot to the national team, and it will be hard for them to find motivation to play domestic cricket. Tiwary opined that removing Rohit from captaincy could have been a hint from the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) selectors that his place is not certain for the ODI World Cup. The former Bengal captain explained how the selectors’ move could have created a lot of mental pressure on the Mumbai batter.

If they need match practice or feel they aren’t performing well, they can always choose to play. But after playing so much cricket and contributing so much, what motivation will they have? Especially when, after the captaincy was taken away, the message sent was that there may be no place for them in 2027. When he won the Champions Trophy two months ago, was he thinking about preparing his team for the future? No, he was focused on winning and giving the nation a reason to celebrate.

After winning the World Cup in 2027, he should be looking to make a statement to Australia and the rest of the cricketing world. But instead, he’s left wondering if his place is even secure.
You can see how much mental pressure this creates. In time, players will come forward and share their experiences, and the full impact will be understood.

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