Why the Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli combine couldn’t quite reach the Sourav Ganguly-Sachin Tendulkar heights?

Yet, only a negligible proportion of this chunky accumulation has helped India’s tremendous ODI batting catalysis. Since 2020, the Rohit-Kohli partnership has added only 539 runs in 16 innings during the 42 matches they have played together, averaging 33.68. The last of their 18-century partnerships came shortly before the Covid-19 wave in January 2020, and the pair have crossed the 50-run mark only twice ever since.

Most successful ODI partnerships
Partners	Span	Inns	Runs	Ave	100	50
S Ganguly, S Tendulkar	1992-2007	176	8227	47.55	26	29
M Jayawardene, K Sangakkara	2000-2015	151	5992	41.61	15	32
T Dilshan, K Sangakkara	2000-2015	108	5475	53.67	20	19
M Atapattu, S Jayasuriya	1996-2007	144	5462	39.29	14	26
A Gilchrist, M Hayden	2000-2008	117	5409	47.44	16	29

Perhaps the degeneration of the Rohit-Kohli unit that focussed on large blocks of accumulation – not necessarily frenetic but steady pace – was integral in thrusting India’s intent-quotient to the fullest in ODIs. As Rohit improved on his aggression up front, Kohli continued to ace the anchor-accumulator role, with both merely intersecting to effect the change.

Partners	Span	Inns	Runs	High	Ave	100	50
V Kohli, R Sharma	2010-2019	79	4741	246	64.06	17	15
	Since 2020	16	539	137	33.68	1	2

It is bewildering how a whopping chunk of Rohit’s 1861 runs as an opener in the last five years has come while batting within the first wicket in 42 games. Rohit’s 112.65 strike rate is unmatched by any of the 11 openers who have amassed at least 1500 runs in this time. Of the 26 matches where he was the opposition’s opening wicket, Rohit has piled on 1449 runs — making 77 percent of his aggregates!

Besides Rohit’s uber-aggression not resulting in more frequent stands with Kohli, the emergence of a fluent ODI bat in Shubman Gill as his opening partner has wedged the gap of lost runs between the senior pros.

Partners since 2020	Inns	Runs	Ave	Run Rate	100	50
V Kohli, S Gill	16	685	45.66	6.36	2	2
V Kohli, R Sharma	16	539	33.68	5.95	1	2

Shift from Ro-Ko combine

The absence of a monopolising union within the top 3 batters has enabled India’s top-7 batters to flatten their strike rates uniformly in this period.

Between January 2013 to the end of 2019, India’s top 3 (majorly comprising Rohit, Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan) amassed 59 per cent of the team runs with a 91.35 strike rate, ranking second in the world. The shares of No.s 4-7 made up 35 per cent of the total runs with an 89.93 SR dropping to fifth. That effectively pulled down the overall SR to 90.10, standing third in the period.

Since the global intent surge from 2020 onwards, India’s top 3 have piled on 10000 of the team’s 19050 runs, with No.s 4-7 adding 7831 runs. While the top 3 have soared to a 97.68 strike rate, the best in the world, the 4-7 bats have also raised their SR to 96.05 (fourth-highest), marking India’s overalls at 95.16 strike rate, second only to England’s 96.97 since 2020.

Kohli since 2020	Inns	Runs	High	Ave	100	50
With Shreyas Iyer	25	1191	163	49.62	4	5
With KL Rahul	17	1138	233*	75.86	3	7

Kohli’s associations with the rotational No. 4 and 5s Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul have become more significant in accumulation in this period, more than his bulkier partnerships with Rohit and Gill at the expense of faster runs.

Given the team dynamics and the uncertainty of their co-existent future in the XI, it is unclear whether the pair that holds the record for the most ODI double-century stands (5) would embark on lengthier associations at the crease – as Tendulkar and Ganguly did even in their final year together in 2007, amassing 1192 runs at 51.82 with six 100-plus stands.

The unceremonious disintegration of Ro-Ko may have deprived fans of a glut of memorable ODI partnerships. But that has not deterred India from moving forward and forming a wholesome batting unit with more faces than their two superstars.