Kohli and Rohit will next be seen in action in IPL 2026, to be held from March 26 to May 31.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will once again go into hibernation as India concluded their three-match ODI series against New Zealand on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
India's next assignment is a five-match T20I series against the same opponents, beginning on January 21, before their T20 World Cup title defence kickstarts on February 7.
2026 started on a bitter note for the Men in Blue as the Black Caps bounced back from a 0-1 deficit to clinch the series 2-1, registering their maiden win in ODI bilateral series on Indian soil.
Kohli and Rohit, who have retired from T20Is and Test cricket, came up with contrasting performances against the Kiwis. While Kohli emerged as India's top run-getter (240 runs from three matches), Rohit struggled to find his rhythm, tallying just 61 runs.
Kohli struck a 91-ball 93 runs, laced with eight crisp boundaries and one six, in the series opener in Vadodara and guided India to a four-wicket win.
Kohli Enters The Record Books
With that match-winning knock, the maestro etched his name deeper into cricketing history by becoming the fastest player to reach 28,000 international runs. He also overtook Kumar Sangakkara (28,016 runs) to become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket history, moving to 28,068 runs -- now only behind Sachin Tendulkar's imposing tally of 34,357.
In the second ODI in Rajkot, Kohli made a 29-ball 23 before being bowled by Kris Clarke.
In the series decider in Indore, the maestro waged a lone battle, stroking a fluent 124 off 108 balls (10x4, 3x6), as wickets fell around him and India fell 41 runs short while chasing a stiff 338.
It was his 54th ODI hundred and 85th overall in international cricket.
Rohit, on the other hand, was a pale shadow of his usual self. He began the series with a 29-ball 26 before making 24 and 11 in the next two outings.
The senior pros were in good nick in 2025 as they ended as the top run-getters for India in ODIs last year. Kohli amassed 651 runs in 13 matches at an average of 65.10, with three centuries and four fifties, while Rohit scored 650 runs in 14 innings at an average of 50 and a strike rate of over 100, with two centuries and four fifties.
Afghanistan ODIs next?
Kohli and Rohit are expected to return to international duties in June when India host Afghanistan for a three-match ODI series. Though the series is listed on the Future Tours Program for 2023-2027, a schedule has not been released.
It will be followed by a white-ball series against England, which includes three ODIs and five T20s. Besides, India are scheduled to host the West Indies for a white-ball series later in the year.
Kohli, 37, and Rohit, 38, will next be seen in action in IPL 2026, to be held from March 26 to May 31.
The ageing stalwarts are keen on playing the 2027 ODI World Cup, to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, but a lot will depend on how the duo performs in the nine ODIs in the next couple of months (3 vs Australia, 3 vs SA and 3 vs NZ).
Key Points:
• Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will take another break from international cricket.
• Kohli did exceptionally well in the series against New Zealand, but Rohit fared poorly.
• Kohli and Rohit are expected to feature in the ODI series against Afghanistan in June.
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