Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to Return in January 2026: BCCI Confirms Schedule for New Zealand Series
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to Return in January 2026: BCCI Confirms Schedule for New Zealand Series
Legends to feature in ODI comeback series; BCA Stadium, Rajkot, and Indore to host matches
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the schedule for the much-anticipated ODI comeback of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both former Indian captains will return to action in January 2026, as India hosts New Zealand for a white-ball series comprising three ODIs and five T20Is.
Kohli-Rohit ODI Return Fixtures:
The ODI leg of the series will begin on January 11, 2026, at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara, followed by the second ODI on January 14 in Rajkot, and the final match of the series on January 18 in Indore. All three games are scheduled to start at 1:30 PM IST.
Recent Career Shifts
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who shocked fans with their Test retirements in May 2025, are now solely committed to One Day Internationals (ODIs). They had already stepped away from T20Is after India’s historic win at the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. Their focus is now on helping India lift the 2027 ODI World Cup, with BCCI planning more ODI fixtures in the lead-up to the event.
The duo will return to competitive cricket before the New Zealand series, featuring in India’s white-ball tour of Australia in October-November 2025, followed by an ODI series against South Africa from November 30 to December 6. They will then take a short break before joining the squad against New Zealand.
Squad Leadership
- Rohit Sharma will continue to lead the Indian ODI side.
- Suryakumar Yadav remains India’s T20I captain.
- Shubman Gill will serve as vice-captain across both white-ball formats.
Cities and Venues
New Zealand’s tour will span eight cities, with ODIs hosted in Vadodara, Rajkot, and Indore, and the T20Is scheduled in Nagpur, Raipur, Guwahati, Vizag, and Trivandrum.
Following the New Zealand series, both stalwarts will return to franchise cricket in IPL 2026, before gearing up for more international ODI assignments later in the year. Rohit, who led India to the 2023 ODI World Cup final, will look to convert his leadership into a championship win this time around.
The BCCI has also released the domestic cricket calendar, with the season beginning on August 28, 2025, with the Duleep Trophy.
As India builds momentum towards the 2027 ODI World Cup, the return of Kohli and Rohit promises renewed excitement and experience in the Indian dressing room.
