The clock is ticking on two of cricket’s greatest careers, and the world knows it. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli expected to retire after the ODI World Cup 2027, cricket boards across the globe are doing something remarkable — they’re knocking on the BCCI’s door and asking for more ODI matches. Not more T20Is. Not more Tests. More ODIs — the only format the two legends still play.
India’s Confirmed ODI Schedule for the 2026-27 Season
| Opposition | ODIs | Period | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 3 | June 14–20, 2026 | Home |
| England | 3 | July 14–19, 2026 | Away |
| West Indies | 3 | Sep–Oct 2026 | Home |
| New Zealand | 5 | November 2026 | Away |
| Sri Lanka | 3 | December 2026 | Home |
Who’s Asking for More — and Why
New Zealand moved fastest. NZC originally scheduled 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is for India’s tour, but once they realised Team India is unlikely to return for the next five years, they flipped the white-ball split — upgrading to 5 ODIs while trimming T20Is. The BCCI has already accepted this change, as India also needs 50-over match practice ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
Sri Lanka Cricket had originally locked in just 2 T20Is — a goodwill arrangement to help raise funds for Cyclone Ditwah relief in 2025. But SLC is now pushing for a 3-match ODI series, recognising this could be the final time Rohit and Kohli set foot in Sri Lanka as international cricketers.
Cricket Ireland is in active discussions with the BCCI around a July series — likely played in Southampton or on Irish soil during the England leg of India’s tour. Ireland is pushing hard for at least one ODI series; if the BCCI doesn’t agree, a 3-match T20I series will be played as a fallback.
What This Tells Us
There’s something quietly poignant about all of this. Teams aren’t requesting more ODIs because of commercial strategy alone — they’re doing it because they understand that watching Rohit Sharma open the batting and Virat Kohli walk out at No. 3 is a privilege that won’t be available much longer. The cricket community has about 18 months left to witness them together in whites — and everyone, from Auckland to Colombo to Dublin, wants their share of that window.
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