For a match that was technically dead—Australia having already sealed the three-match ODI series—the final encounter at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday provided more debate, discussion, and drama than most live contests. At the heart of it all were India’s veteran masters and former captains, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Having retired from Tests and T20Is, their rollicking century stand in what was almost certainly their farewell match Down Under was 50-overs cricket at its finest.
The SCG was a sea of blue, packed with Indian fans who had travelled from across Australia to witness what many believed would be the duo’s swansong in a country where both have forged outstanding reputations in all formats. Sharma has toured Australia ten times since 2007-08 and Kohli nine since 2011-12.
After the rare indignity of two successive ducks in the first two ODIs—the first such instance in his career—Kohli and his legion of fans breathed a collective sigh of relief when he got off the mark. The target of 237 was modest, and after new ODI captain Shubman Gill fell for 24, it was “Ro-Ko” all the way. Their unbeaten 168-run stand saw India coast home by nine wickets with plenty of overs to spare—a rare margin of defeat for the reigning world champions.
At 38 and 36 respectively, Sharma and Kohli may have played their last match on Australian soil, lending their partnership a touch of poignancy. Sharma’s unbeaten 121 earned him both the Man of the Match and Man of the Series awards, while Kohli’s 74 not out took him past Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest ODI run-scorer, behind only Sachin Tendulkar. Whether they feature in the 2027 World Cup remains uncertain, but for now, fans can simply savour a batting masterclass for the ages.
