The Indian team is still recovering from the adrenaline-rushing Test series in England that ended 2-2 but the packed international calendar means that there is no breathing space to relax. Fortunately, there is a one-month break due to the white-ball tour of Bangladesh being postponed and it means that the Asia Cup in September will be the team's next limited-overs engagement. However, that will be played in T20 format, given that the imminent ICC tournament is the T20 World Cup early this year and so, there is still time before India's next ODI game.
Since their Champions Trophy title win, India are yet to play another 50-over game and with two years still remaining for the next ODI World Cup, understandably the talk is around the futures of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The duo retired from Test cricket in rather surprising circumstances and hence, speculations are that they could possibly end their ODI careers also on the same note. Former captain Sourav Ganguly, when asked about this topic, chose to sit on the fence, although he did deny rumours of their possible retirements.
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"I'm not aware of this, can't comment on this," said Ganguly as quoted by the PTI during the AWL Agri Business Ltd Event.
"It's difficult to say. Whoever does well will play. If they do well, they should continue. Kohli's one-day record is phenomenal, even Rohit Sharma's. Both of them are phenomenal in white-ball cricket."
India's next ODI assignment is only in October, when they travel to Australia for a three-match series and that shall be followed by a home series against South Africa. Meanwhile, the T20 side is buzzing under skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Ganguly tipped the Indian side to defend their title this time as well.
"India are very strong, and if they are strong in red-ball cricket, they are even stronger in white-ball cricket. So, in my opinion, India are favourites, and beating them on those good Dubai wickets will be very tough."