India's last ODI playing XI involving Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli but not as captains - where are they now?

The veteran duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli is set to return to international cricket for the first time since India’s 2025 Champions Trophy triumph in early March. Both players have been named in India’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, starting October 19 in Perth.

However, Rohit Sharma will not be leading the side, as he was recently relieved of his captaincy duties, with the BCCI announcing Shubman Gill as the new ODI skipper on Saturday, October 4. When Rohit and Kohli step onto the field in the first ODI against Australia, it will mark the first time in almost nine years that both feature together in an ODI playing XI without either serving as captain.

The last instance of such a scenario came during the fifth ODI against New Zealand at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, on October 29, 2016, where MS Dhoni led the side.

After opting to bat, India posted 269/6 in 50 overs, with Rohit (70) and Kohli (65) scoring crucial fifties. In reply, the Black Caps were bundled out for just 79 in 23.1 overs, thanks to Amit Mishra’s five-wicket haul, as India clinched the series 3-2.

On that note, let’s revisit India’s last ODI playing XI featuring Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli but not as captains, and find out where those players are now.

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Top order: Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli

Ajinkya Rahane was last seen in action during IPL 2025, where he captained the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The team endured a disappointing season, finishing eighth, while the right-handed batter scored 390 runs in 12 innings at an average of 35.45 and a strike rate of 147.72, including three fifties.

Most recently, the 37-year-old relinquished Mumbai’s captaincy on August 21, 2025, ahead of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy.

Rohit Sharma also last played in IPL 2025, representing the Mumbai Indians (MI). Led by Hardik Pandya, the franchise crashed out of the tournament after a defeat to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 2. Rohit contributed 418 runs in 15 innings at an average of 29.85 and a strike rate of 149.28, hitting four fifties.

Similarly, Virat Kohli’s last appearance came in IPL 2025, where he clinched his maiden title with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The opening batter finished as the franchise’s leading run-scorer, amassing 657 runs in 15 innings at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71, including eight fifties.

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Middle order: MS Dhoni, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Axar Patel

MS Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in 2020, last played in IPL 2025 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The franchise had a disastrous season, finishing at the bottom of the table for the first time in history. Individually, Dhoni scored 196 runs in 13 innings at an average of 24.50, with a strike rate of 135.17. It remains to be seen whether he will return for the 2026 edition of the tournament.

Manish Pandey captained the Mysore Warriors in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2025. The franchise struggled throughout the tournament, finishing fifth with just two wins from 10 matches, losing six, and having two matches end in no result. The 36-year-old had a challenging season with the bat, scoring 155 runs in nine innings at an average of 19.38 and a strike rate of 149.04, including a single fifty.

Next is Kedar Jadhav, who announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on June 3, 2024. Meanwhile, he began his political career earlier this year.

Axar Patel was also part of the match against New Zealand. He is currently a member of the Indian squad for the ongoing two-match series against the West Indies, with the second Test scheduled to begin on Friday, October 10, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

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Lower order: Jayant Yadav, Amit Mishra, Umesh Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah

Haryana cricketer Jayant Yadav was part of the Gujarat Titans (GT) squad in IPL 2025. The team’s campaign ended with a defeat to the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator. Meanwhile, Jayant has represented India in six Tests and two ODIs, with his last international appearance coming in 2022.

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra was named Player of the Match in the game against New Zealand. The 42-year-old recently announced his retirement from all forms of professional cricket on September 4, 2025.

Meanwhile, veteran pacer Umesh Yadav went unsold in the IPL 2025 auction. His last international appearance came in the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) final, where Australia defeated India to claim the title.

Last on the list is Jasprit Bumrah. The ace seamer was recently in action during the first Test against the West Indies, which India won by an innings and 40 runs. Bumrah picked up three wickets across the two innings.

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Edited by Dev Sharma