Kallis addressed the ongoing debate over the future of India’s senior batsmen, especially after both players stepped away from T20 and Tests. Rohit and Kohli retired from T20 Internationals after India’s World Cup win in 2024, while later bringing the curtain down on their Test careers in 2025. As a result, they are now both expected to feature in the ODI World Cup with their workload significantly reduced.
With the 2027 World Cup set to take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, questions have been raised about whether age and reduced exposure to competitions could affect their lifespan. Rohit will be 40 by the time the tournament starts while Kohli will be 38. Despite this, Kallis believes the decision should remain entirely up to the players, given their experience and understanding of their own bodies.
“He (Virat Kohli) obviously knows his body if you want to call it quits. Hopefully he goes to the bench. He definitely deserves it. Fantastic player (Rohit Sharma) and hopefully he deserves to go to the bench too,” Kallis told NDTV.
The South African legend’s endorsement comes at a time when both batters continue to produce consistent figures in the 50-over format. By 2025, Kohli emerged as India’s highest run-getter in ODIs, scoring 651 runs in 13 matches at a staggering average of 65.10, including three centuries and four half-centuries. Rohit was not far behind, amassing 650 runs in 14 matches at an average of 50 while batting at over 100, with two hundreds and four fifties to his name.
The South African all-rounder also shared his thoughts on South Africa’s chances in the upcoming T20 World Cup, following their narrow loss to India in the 2024 final. He expressed hope that recent experiences would help the team overcome the final hurdle this time.
“Well, hopefully this tournament now gives the boys an edge going into that tournament. And they need a bit of luck to win it. Hopefully things will fall into place for us,” he said.
Furthermore, Kallis praised the SA20 competition for its role in strengthening South African cricket, highlighting how young players have benefited from competing with international stars and working under experienced coaches.
“I think it (SA20) has been good for South African cricket… so hopefully it will continue to grow,” he added.
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