Former India captain Rohit Sharma has spoken candidly about his enduring friendship with Virat Kohli, describing a relationship built over nearly two decades of shared service to Indian cricket and sustained by mutual respect, regular batting conversations, and a shared sense of humour about public speculation surrounding them.

A Bond Built Over Two Decades

Rohit and Kohli made their international debuts just a year apart — Rohit in 2007 and Kohli in 2008 — and have since become the twin pillars of India's batting across all formats. Speaking to JioStar ahead of India's second ODI against West Indies on Wednesday, 1 October 2026, Rohit reflected on how their camaraderie had deepened well beyond the dressing room.

'Both of us, we've almost started playing at the same time. I made my debut in 2007, he made his debut in 2008. And since then, we've been trying to give our best for the team. So yeah, there's a strong camaraderie between the two of us, and we understand what it requires to be at a certain level when you're playing at this level,' Rohit said.

The 'Masala' Reference and a Shared Laugh

Rohit acknowledged the public appetite for friction between him and Kohli, but said the reality is far more light-hearted. He recalled a moment — apparently triggered during or after India's tour of Australia — when a particular story began circulating and the two veterans found themselves laughing at each other over it.

'Whenever this plays on TV, we look at each other and laugh. Which is good, it's fun. People want masala, so there you go, there is some masala,' Rohit said, offering no further detail on the specific episode but firmly signalling that no rift exists.

Different Methods, Same Mission

Rohit was clear that differences in batting style or approach have never undermined their collective purpose. He also backed Kohli — who has had stretches of inconsistent form in recent months — to continue in his characteristic way, with full preparation and the intent to win games for the team.

'Methods are different, obviously, but that's how it should be, every individual is different. He'll be the same Kohli that we know of: wants to come, prepare well, go get the runs, win games for Team India,' Rohit said. He added that Kohli's approach had remained consistent across both his own captaincy tenure and Rohit's, and he saw no reason for that to change.

Feedback, Appreciation, and Ongoing Conversations

Perhaps the most revealing element of Rohit's interview was his account of how he and Kohli actively coach each other between innings and on tour. He noted that appreciation and honest technical feedback flow in both directions.

'Sometimes if something is happening with my batting, he comes and mentions it, sometimes I mention it. So that conversation always keeps going,' Rohit said. He also praised Kohli's transformative impact on the Test team during the latter's captaincy tenure, calling it 'brilliant.'

Less Time Together, Relationship Unchanged

With the two senior players now spending more time at home following a reduction in their international workload, face-to-face meetings have become less frequent. Rohit noted the geographical distance between their homes adds to the gap.

'Now we meet very rarely because his house is quite far from mine. And every month, or every month and a half, an ODI series happens, so because of that it's less. Otherwise, until a year ago, every 5-7 days we were on tour,' Rohit said. Despite that, he emphasised that nothing about the relationship itself had changed.

The full interview is set to air on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network on 30 September, with the ICC Men's ODI World Cup schedule announcement following on 1 October on the same platforms.