The end of an era in Indian cricket came with the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers. Within just five days in May 2025, both legends announced their retirement from the longest format. Rohit Sharma first broke the news on May 7 through an Instagram story, and Virat Kohli followed on May 12. This wasn’t the first time the two stars stepped back from a format together after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, both had also bid goodbye to T20Is. Now, as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers come to a close ahead of the 2025–27 World Test Championship, here are five surprising similarities that show just how closely their red-ball journeys were connected.
List of 5 Surprising Similarities in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test Careers
5. Both Made Their Test Debuts Against West Indies After Winning an ICC ODI Tournament
A remarkable coincidence in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers is that both made their Test debuts against the West Indies shortly after achieving ODI success with Team India. Virat Kohli debuted in Tests in 2011, months after lifting the ODI World Cup. His debut match was in Kingston, Jamaica. Similarly, Rohit Sharma made his Test debut in 2013, just months after India won the ICC Champions Trophy. He debuted at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, also against the West Indies.
The link between their Test debuts and ODI victories suggests a shared transition pattern in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers, moving from white-ball triumphs to Test cricket.
| Player | ICC Title Before Debut | Test Debut Year | Opponent | Venue |
| Virat Kohli | 2011 ODI World Cup | 2011 | West Indies | Kingston |
| Rohit Sharma | 2013 Champions Trophy | 2013 | West Indies | Kolkata |
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4. Last Home Test Played at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium
Another emotional parallel in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers is their final home Test match, which took place at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This venue holds sentimental value it hosted India’s 2011 World Cup win and was also the stage for Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell. Now, it has become the venue for the final home appearance of both Rohit and Virat in November 2024 against New Zealand.
This final match at home added a layer of shared nostalgia in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers, reinforcing how much their journeys have mirrored each other.
| Player | Opponent | Venue | Month, Year | Final Home Match |
| Virat Kohli | New Zealand | Wankhede, Mumbai | November 2024 | Yes |
| Rohit Sharma | New Zealand | Wankhede, Mumbai | November 2024 | Yes |
3. Both Were Dismissed for Single-Digit Scores in Their Last Test Innings
In a bittersweet moment of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers, both players ended their final innings with single-digit scores. Rohit Sharma’s last Test came during the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 2024. He was dismissed for 3 and 9 by Pat Cummins. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli played his last Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), where he scored only 6 runs and was dismissed twice by Scott Boland.
These modest endings remind us that even greats like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers can conclude without the fairytale finish fans hope for.
| Player | Opponent | Venue | Final Scores | Bowler(s) |
| Rohit Sharma | Australia | MCG | 3 & 9 | Pat Cummins |
| Virat Kohli | Australia | SCG | 6 | Scott Boland |
2. Neither Scored a Half-Century in Tests Played in Bangladesh
Another rare similarity in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers is their underwhelming performance in Bangladesh. Despite the pitches usually being favorable for batters, both failed to register a half-century in that country. Kohli played three Test matches in Bangladesh and scored only 59 runs, while Rohit managed just 6 runs in the only Test he played there.
This shared struggle in Bangladesh is a surprising low point in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers, given their otherwise consistent records across the globe.
| Player | Matches Played | Total Runs | Highest Score | 50s Scored |
| Virat Kohli | 3 | 59 | 24 | 0 |
| Rohit Sharma | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
1. Both Registered Their First Win as Test Captain Against Sri Lanka
One of the most striking parallels in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers is that both achieved their first victory as Test captains against the same opponent Sri Lanka. Virat Kohli first led India in a full series in 2015, where his first win came during an away series in Sri Lanka. Rohit Sharma began his full-time Test captaincy in 2022, and he too secured his first win as captain against Sri Lanka at home.
Their captaincy paths reflect another chapter of synchronicity in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis Test careers, with Sri Lanka serving as the beginning point of leadership success.
| Player | Opponent | Series Year | Result | First Win as Captain |
| Virat Kohli | Sri Lanka | 2015 | Series Win | Yes |
| Rohit Sharma | Sri Lanka | 2022 | Series Win | Yes |
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