Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma deserve a Rafael Nadal-level farewell when they retire: Ex-Indian cricketer

Former Indian cricketer and analyst Madan Lal has opened up on the Indian veteran batting duo Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma making their international comeback for the forthcoming Australian tour, scheduled to start on Sunday, October 19, in Perth.

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Speaking exclusively on the Cricket Predicta TV Show, the former cricketer asserted that the Indian talismanic batting duo of Kohli and Rohit deserve a farewell similar to what legendary tennis player Rafael Nadal got when he retired from the game.

"Rohit and Virat still have a lot of cricket left in them. They deserve a farewell that brings tears to every eye, something like what the world witnessed when Rafael Nadal retired. India must honour them the same way. Players like them are once-in-a-generation," he said on the Cricket Predicta TV Show.

Furthermore, he also emphasized that the Indian No.3 batter Virat Kohli should step out of his comfort zone to take on the Australian counterpart Down Under. Notably, Kohli has an exceptional record against Australians in this particular format. 

"Virat now needs to step out of his comfort zone as he faces a formidable Australian side. He has given everything to Indian cricket — his passion, fitness, and hunger have set the highest standards," he added.

While Rohit and Kohli retired from the longest format of the game ahead of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, they bid adieu to the shortest format of the game after the successful T20 World Cup 2024 campaign last year.

On the other hand, they are all set to make their international comeback for the first time since the conclusion of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in March. They are all set for the three-match ODI series, starting on Sunday, October 19 against Australia in Perth.

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