Who said what - top 5 expert reactions on Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's stellar 168-run partnership in AUS vs IND 2025 3rd ODI ft. Mohammad Kaif

The experienced Indian duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli starred with the bat as the Men in Blue defeated Australia by nine wickets in the final game of the three-match ODI series. The match was played on Saturday, October 25, at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

After winning the toss, the hosts opted to bat first but struggled, being bowled out for 236 in 46.4 overs. Harshit Rana was the standout for India, finishing with impressive figures of 4/39 in 8.4 overs. In reply, India’s openers, Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma, added 69 runs before the former was dismissed for 24.

Virat Kohli came in at No. 3 and, alongside Rohit, made the chase look effortless. Rohit notched his 33rd ODI century, while Kohli reached his 75th fifty. Rohit remained not out on 121 and Kohli on 74, as the pair stitched together an unbeaten 168-run stand off 169 balls for the second wicket, helping India reach the target in 38.3 overs and win by nine wickets.

Although Australia won the series 2-1, Rohit and Kohli’s spectacular partnership stole the limelight in Sydney. On that note, here’s a look at five expert reactions to their brilliant unbeaten 168-run stand in AUS vs IND 2025 3rd ODI.

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Top 5 expert reactions to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s stellar 168-run partnership in AUS vs IND 2025 3rd ODI

#1 Zaheer Khan

Former India pacer Zaheer Khan praised the duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for their brilliant partnership, noting that their performance has now silenced speculation about the future. On Cricbuzz, the former pacer said:

"It was important for both of them in more ways than one this series. There is no brushing aside the fact that the team will have a plan for the World Cup. It's just about what kind of hunger they have. All those things were also going to matter and today's display will just put all those discussions to rest. These two just took it to another level and it was chanceless."

"It was vintage Rohit. He was looking much more relaxed. That first boundary off Starc was the indication of what was coming. He looked in sublime touch. Virat as well was equally good. The first run celebration from Virat was just a release of all the pressure. It was just sending a positive signal to everyone,” he added.

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#2 Aakash Chopra

Former India opener Aakash Chopra also lauded Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for their partnership. However, the 48-year-old noted that the two modern greats were bound to be a bit rusty at the start, and discussions about their form are likely to continue. During a discussion on Star Sports, Chopra said:

"Absolutely, they had left playing themselves. They were playing before the break and playing well. If you talk about the Champions Trophy final, Rohit Sharma was the Player of the Match. If you talk about Virat Kohli's IPL, you would say one of the best IPL seasons ever. So it's not like the quality had gone somewhere or time was running out.”

"No matter how good a sword is, it gets slightly rusted if you keep it in a sheath. So that rustiness was definitely seen. However, when you spent a little time, the vintage batting came to the fore. It's not like the form had gone somewhere. It's just that they were not there. However, the way they have played, the conversations will continue,” he added.

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#3 Harbhajan Singh

India’s 2011 ODI World Cup winner Harbhajan Singh heaped praise on the veteran duo, saying the game brought back memories of the classic partnership between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former off-spinner said:

"I remembered their old partnerships when they used to stand up in almost every chase 12-15 years back. When the two were batting, they looked in brilliant flow. Kohli and his fans would like to remember this knock because it came in a win. Rohit Sharma worked very hard ahead of the series. He lost weight and showed the will to play. He is not the captain now. It's a big shift for any player, but he took it very well.”

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#4 Mohammad Kaif

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif also praised the duo, noting that some people were hoping Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would fail so they could be dropped from the team, but the pair were determined to perform well. During a discussion on his YouTube channel, Kaif said:

“There was some outside noise, with people asking them to retire. But Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's focus is only on the bull's eye. Doesn't matter if people are saying Rohit is 38 or Virat hasn't been scoring runs, so they should retire. They have contributed significantly to making India the No. 1 team.”

“If you were against them, then stay firm. People change their opinions quickly, and there is hypocrisy. The ones who were talking against them will now start praising them. They know that there are people waiting for them to fail. The selector and some people from the media. They will be determined not to give anyone a chance to remove them from the team,” he added.

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#5 Sunil Gavaskar

India legend Sunil Gavaskar also lauded Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, noting that the duo played some brilliant shots and it was a joy to see both players flourish. In a discussion on India Today, Gavaskar said:

“I mean, they took the years away, didn’t they, with the kind of batsmanship that we saw. I mean, it was all such, you know, sparkle and glitter, some of the finest shots that, you know, we’ve seen from this duo over the years.”

“You know, just to be able to see that was absolutely terrific, very joyful to see both of them. Because, you know, I mean, we have too many people asking too many questions, too many people who haven’t even picked up a bat in a sport shop asking, you know, questions about these two legends of the game. So, very, very good to see both of them. I said, remember, I said at the end of the first game that class is permanent and form is temporary, and I think both these legends have just shown us that,” he added.

The duo will next be in action when India host South Africa for a three-match ODI series, starting on November 30 in Ranchi.