Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli to get additional matches as part of ODI World Cup preparations - Report

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (Reuters Photo)

The attention will shift to the 50-over format after the T20 World Cup is done and dusted. In between there will be two months of T20 excitement, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) set to start towards the end of March. The focus then will immediately shift to ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in South Africa next year.

Recently, BCCI released the dates of Afghanistan's tour of India, which features one Test and three ODIs. And now as per fresh reports, India could play more matches, apart from the 15 ODIs scheduled to be played this year. The development was reported by CricHub, which mentioned India may stretch the ODI leg of their white-ball tour of New Zealand later this year. The adjustment will be made by reducing the number of T20Is.

India reportedly are set to engage in five T20Is, two ODIs and two Tests against New Zealand between October-November. The report mentioned that two more ODIs can be added, while the T20Is will be reduced to a three-match affair.

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The report citing sources stated that the proposal was initiated by the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Meanwhile, it is being said that BCCI's interest in stretching the ODI-leg is driven by ambitions to prepare for the marquee tournament. While for New Zealand it is reportedly commercially driven, considering this should be the final time the talismans - Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma - will play in the country. This aspect will certainly generate significant buzz among stakeholders as the duo now only play the 50-over format.

Meanwhile, an official update on the same is yet to arrive from either boards but it is anticipated that the proposal will soon be finalised.

India will launch their ODI calendar in 2026 with a three-match series against Afghanistan in June. They will then play three more against England in July, and the same number of matches against West Indies in the sub-continent. The Men In Blue will end the year with a three-match fixture against Sri Lanka.

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