New Delhi [India], November 30 : After an impressive series in Australia, Rohit Sharma returns for the ODIs against South Africa starting Sunday.
Along with him, another batting stalwart also makes his comeback, with both speaking about their drive, intent and enduring commitment to the game.
In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Rohit spoke about what continues to push him even after so many years at the highest level.
"Drive and willingness are not just now; it is every time you represent your country. It does not matter if you are 38 or 28," Rohit said.
Explaining the unique demands of the 50-over format, he added, "ODI is a mixture of Test and T20I together. So you have to be skilful enough to go out there and handle both skill sets. Especially for me because I open the batting. When the ball is hard and new, it swings. So you need to bring your Test mindset there and leave as much as you can, play close to your body."
Reflecting on how little his motivation has changed over the years, Rohit said, "I started playing at 20. My drive is similar to what it is now. The mindset to give your best, give all that you have, has remained the same."
He further added, "I look at every game as making my debut. That is how I train myself."
Virat Kohli, also returning for the ODI series, echoed the same hunger and commitment.
"I'm very sure that if I make myself available, then I have to give my 100%. I've never played any series, even at 95% capacity. I'm still enjoying my cricket, I'm excited to play any kind of cricket, that's the place I'm in right now," Kohli said.
Speaking on the value of experience, Kohli added, "Experience is an accumulation of being present and aware in situations you have been a part of, and having all those memories stored up so that you can utilise those experiences when those situations come again."
He said, "The will to work and commitment to put in work is as high as it has ever been."
Kohli holds the record for the most ODI centuries in India with 24, while Rohit has 14.
The duo last appeared in an ODI in Australia in October, where Rohit struck an unbeaten, match-winning 121 and Kohli added a smooth, unbeaten 74. The pair combined for a 168-run partnership. Notably, both veterans now feature exclusively in ODI cricket, having stepped away from Tests and T20Is.
Both Kohli and Rohit are on the verge of breaking historic records ahead of the ODI series opener in Ranchi. Rohit, the current number-one-ranked ODI batter, is poised to become only the fourth Indian batter to reach 20,000 runs. He has 19,902 international runs to his name in 502 matches.
The India opener scored 4,301 runs in 67 tests. He has 4,231 runs in T20Is and 11,370 runs in ODIs. He is only 98 runs away from joining an elite 20,000-run club that includes Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid.
Kohli, meanwhile, is just one century away from holding the record for the most hundreds by a batter in a single format. He currently sits on 51 centuries, tied with Sachin Tendulkar, who ended his Test career with the exact tally. Remarkably, only Kohli and Tendulkar have ever reached the milestone of 50 or more centuries in a single format.
India will clash with South Africa in the first ODI of the three-match series at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday. The ODI series follows India's humiliating 2-0 defeat by the Proteas, during which Team India struggled in both batting and bowling.