BCCI to increase ODI matches for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli?
What's the story
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is mulling increasing the number of One-Day International (ODI) matches this year. The move comes as part of a strategy to give star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli more game time ahead of the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup. After the ongoing T20 World Cup and the Indian Premier League (IPL), Team India will shift focus to ODIs in June, with the Afghanistan and England series.
Tour adjustments
NZ tour may also see additional ODIs
According to a report by CricHub, the BCCI is also looking at the possibility of extending the ODI leg of India's white-ball tour of New Zealand later this year. The team is scheduled to visit the nation in October for an all-format series, including five T20Is, two ODIs, and two Tests. If finalized, fans will get to see Kohli and Rohit in action two additional times this year.
Proposal origin
Proposal by New Zealand Cricket
The idea to increase the number of ODIs was reportedly proposed by New Zealand Cricket (NZC). However, neither board has confirmed the changes yet. A revised schedule is expected to be released soon, keeping fans updated about their favorite players' upcoming matches. Kohli and Rohit had retired from T20Is after India's T20 World Cup victory in 2024 and later announced their Test retirements in 2025.
Information
India vs Afghanistan in June
In June, Afghanistan will tour India for a one-off Test match and three ODIs. The series will be played after the IPL 2026 concludes. This will be Afghanistan's first bilateral ODI series in India.