Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are the cornerstones of Indian cricket. Removing either would significantly alter the fabric of the team. This isn't the first time Indian cricket has been defined by a dynamic duo. From the mid-1970s to the late 1980s, Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar were the dominant figures. As the 1990s emerged, Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin carried the torch forward. Following them were Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, later joined by Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman, forming the legendary Fab Five. The MS Dhoni-Yuvraj Singh partnership further enriched this legacy, paving the way for the current era of Rohit and Kohli.

At 35 and 37 respectively, Kohli and Rohit have more cricket behind them than in front. They have batted their way into the history books by smashing every prominent batting record there is, but it is finally at this stage of their careers that Rohit and Kohli are reaping the rewards for their years of unwavering commitment towards a common cause – benefit of Indian cricket and taking it forward. During all these years, Rohit played under Kohli and vice-versa, but for the longest time, winning a World Cup together is the only accolade missing. Finally, on June 29, that dream was realised when India lifted the T20 World Cup, adding a new chapter on Ro-Ko's legacy.

The past year has been extraordinary for Rohit and Kohli. From defeating Australia in a home Test series to clinching the Asia Cup and eventually the T20 World Cup, their journey has been remarkable. While the heartbreak of November 19 was a setback, it shouldn’t overshadow the countless memories this team created over those two months. From medal celebrations to Kohli's 50th ODI century, his birthday hundred, and an unprecedented 10 consecutive wins – their ruthlessness was unmatched. Hence, it was only fitting that the two pillars of Indian cricket, Rohit and Kohli walked away with two big honours at the CEAT Awards, the captaining winning the Cricketer of the Year and Kohli bagging the ODI Player of the Year.

Stats don't lie: Rohit ahead of Kohli

While in the last one decade, Kohli has stood out as the quintessential run-scorer for India, the last year – August 21, 2023, to August 21, 2024 – has belonged to Rohit. In this period, Rohit has been a heavy scorer for India, with 1867 runs from 38 matches across Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Kohli, meanwhile, is a good 500 runs behind his skipper, with 1385 runs from 34 matches – four fewer. Kohli may have scored a century more (5) than Rohit (4), but the India captain has been pretty much unstoppable in every format. Over 400 runs against England including 2 centuries and those man-possessed knocks opening the innings in the World Cup. Even excluding Test matches, given that Kohli skipped the England series, Rohit still leads Kohli by 219 runs.

The only matches Rohit played for India without Kohli were five Tests against England and a T20I against Afghanistan in January. A difference of just four matches for roughly 500 runs isn’t staggering by any means, but it's enough to break the myth that Rohit as a batter is less effective than Kohli. Amid all the 'Vadapav' and 'Chokli' jabs that have fuelled toxic fan wars online, these stats serve as a reminder that neither Kohli nor Rohit is superior or inferior to the other.

Rohit is probably the only World Cup-winning captain in history to cop such unreal hate on the internet. Absurd accusations like "Blud bottled a rigged World Cup", "failed in the final," or the even more ludicrous "Your daily reminder that Virat Kohli single-handedly won the World Cup final" are utterly ridiculous. Single-handedly? Were Jasprit Bumrah, Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya merely serving drinks?

Another absolutely research-less theory stated that Rohit's innings of 92 against Australia – which many reckoned was the innings of the tournament – was inconsequential. In the hindsight, maybe. But when was the last time an India batter pummelled 8 sixes in a T20I innings against Australia, tore into their best bowler Mitchell Starc with five sixes capping off a 29-run over? Heck, Rohit batted that morning in St. Lucia as if he had Khada Hoon Aaj Bhi Wahi on loop the night before. Where is this narrative even stemming from? Then again, why the surprise? This is the same fan base that showed no mercy to Dhoni. The man was winning India World Cups when these 'lockdown kids' were staining their diapers.

The era of cricket superstardom is fading – not just in India cricket, but worldwide. Kohli and Rohit, who have accomplished everything in the sport, are arguably the last of the dying breed. While we don't know how much longer they'll play, one thing is certain: Whether you're Team Rohit or Team Kohli, let go the hatred. Instead, savour them, cherish them. You'll miss them when they're gone.

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