Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s aura in Australia unmatched, says Aaron Finch: ‘Crazy what their presence does’

Former Australia captain Aaron Finch said it will be a special moment for fans to watch Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma play in Australia, possibly for the last time. Finch will be part of the expert panel on JioHotstar for the upcoming three-match ODI series between India and Australia starting October 19 in Perth.

During a media interaction on Saturday, when asked by Firstpost about how significant it would be for Australian cricket and fans to see Kohli and Rohit one last time on Australian soil, Finch spoke highly of the Indian stars. He praised the two stalwarts for their ability to draw big crowds wherever they go.

“Anytime you get the opportunity to see the greats of the game up close, it’s unbelievable. You can watch as much cricket as you want on TV, but until you see them in the flesh at the ground, you understand what their presence does - not just to the players around them, but also to the fans in the stands. It’s crazy. I’ve had some great moments playing against them both in Australia and in India, and I have no doubt that the fans will turn up if it does, in fact, turn out to be their last series,” Finch said.

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“Just the impact they’ve had - particularly Virat, when he starts getting the crowd involved - is pretty special to see. Whether it was the T20 World Cup, the most recent one in Australia, it was really special to see how much the crowd got involved every time he walked out to bat. And Rohit, he sets the tone at the top of the order. So I have no doubt that Australian and Indian fans would love seeing them play in Australia once more,” he added.

Rohit and Kohli have both been named in India’s squad for the ODI series, marking their return to international cricket after more than seven months. The two last played for India during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 that concluded on 9 March. Following that tournament, they announced their retirement from Test cricket but confirmed their availability for ODIs going forward. Both had already retired from T20Is after India’s triumph in the T20 World Cup last year.

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Finch on Rohit and Kohli’s chances for 2027 World Cup

Meanwhile, what surprised fans was the removal of Rohit as captain in the 50-over format. Shubman Gill has succeeded him in ODIs, just as he did in red-ball cricket after Rohit retired earlier this year. The choice was not as surprising as the decision itself, given that Rohit is expected to play for India until at least the 2027 Cricket World Cup and was widely seen as the captain until then.

His recent title win in the format at the Champions Trophy had made fans believe that Rohit would continue to lead until the next ODI World Cup. The decision to remove Rohit has raised eyebrows, with some speculating that he might be forced to retire before the next World Cup.

Responding to a question on the future of both Rohit and Kohli in the format and their chances of playing until 2027, Finch felt that it will ultimately come down to various factors which includes their performance.

“I’d love to see them both play in that 50-over World Cup in 2027, but that’ll be up to the selectors, the coaching staff, the captain, and, of course, their performances - that’s what it comes down to. Anytime you’ve got the experience that they bring, while also being pushed by the next generation of players coming through, it’s really exciting because it keeps the depth of the squad so strong. And there’s no doubt India have got that,” Finch said.

“One of the challenges they’ll probably face is just the sheer amount of cricket - no doubt that will have its own challenges. But you know that neither of them will leave any stone unturned. If there’s a design for them to get there and if they’ve indicated that then you know they’ll be hitting enough balls,” he added.

“I don’t think it necessarily comes down to playing a lot of domestic cricket; that wouldn’t change their chances or the way they go about it at all. Maybe the odd game here or there, just to stay sharp in a competitive environment, but you know they’ll be hitting thousands and thousands of balls behind the scenes, away from the cameras. So yeah, if the desire’s still there and the performances follow, there’s no reason why they can’t make it,” he said.

Catch all the action from India’s tour of Australia 2025, starting with the first ODI on October 19, 9 AM IST onwards, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.