Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two pillars of India’s current generation, are part of the XI for the series opener versus South Africa in Ranchi. Their return to ODIs was awaited.
Notably, Rohit and Kohli announced their Test and T20I retirements around the same time. In a remarkable development, the two senior pros have now gone beyond the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in the international arena.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have officially become the No.1 Indian pair with the highest number of joint international appearances. The ongoing second ODI against South Africa in Ranchi marks the 392nd time they’ve taken the field together for the national side.
Indian duos with the most international matches together
| International Matches Together | Pairs |
| 392* | Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma |
| 391 | Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid |
| 369 | Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid |
| 367 | Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble |
| 341 | Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly |
Previously, the record was held by Sachin and Dravid, featuring in 391 international matches. The next on the list is the Ganguly–Dravid partnership, combining in 369 matches for India. Remarkably, Sachin Tendulkar appears in the top combinations three times. He partnered Anil Kumble in 367 matches and also turned out 341 times with Sourav Ganguly.
For more than 17 years, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have carried India’s batting together. In ODIs, Kohli has amassed 14,255 runs from 293 innings in 305 matches, including 51 hundreds and 75 fifties. He also holds the record for the most ODI centuries, overtaking Sachin Tendulkar during the 2023 World Cup.
Rohit Sharma has also delivered exceptional ODI numbers, compiling 11,370 runs in 268 innings with 33 hundreds and 59 fifties. He remains the only batter in history to score three double centuries in One-Day Internationals.