Kohli, Rohit near endgame as India chase Champions Trophy glory

DUBAI: India captain Rohit Sharma and superstar batsman Virat Kohli enter the Champions Trophy this week with intense focus on their dwindling powers and speculation over when they will retire.

The 37-year-old Rohit and Kohli, 36, got back among the runs to some degree in India’s 3-0 ODI home sweep of England last week.

But both have been mired in long lean patches in Tests and have already retired from T20 cricket following last year’s World Cup triumph.

Age is clearly catching up with the duo ahead of India’s first match of the 50-over Champions Trophy, against Bangladesh on Thursday in Dubai.

Neither player — both mainstays of a formidable India team for more than 15 years — has said what their plans are.

But one Indian media report, citing anonymous sources at the cricket board, said opener Rohit had been pressed to make a decision on his future by the time the tournament ends.

Rohit’s Test career already looks over, the skipper having “rested” for the decisive, final Test against Australia.

“Hopefully they know when the right time to play is,” India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev said.

“When they think it is not, they will call it off.”

Following the bruising 3-1 Test defeat in Australia, India’s board ordered contracted players to play domestic cricket.

But both flopped, with Rohit scoring three and 28 in his first and second innings for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy and Kohli scoring six off 15 balls for Delhi.

If the idea was to help them play their way back into form, it did not work.

Despite intense conjecture about their futures India head coach Gautam Gambhir said the two stalwarts will have “massive roles” to play at the Champions Trophy.

India, who will play their games in Dubai after