NEW DELHI: The wait to see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in action is almost over, with India set to take on Australia in the first ODI on October 19. It's not just the fans but also former players who are eager to watch the duo don the Indian jersey again. Both last featured for India in the Champions Trophy final in March earlier this year.

Since both players' participation is now limited to ODIs after retiring from T20Is and Tests, staying fresh and match-ready for the 2027 ODI World Cup remains a challenge for the duo. However, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh dismissed any doubts about Kohli's fitness and wants to see him playing for another four to five years.

"Please don't ask any questions about Virat's fitness. When it comes to fitness, he's a guru. Everyone follows what he does. There's absolutely no concern about Virat Kohli's fitness; he's fit, probably fitter than many of those currently playing alongside him. In today's international cricket, he's arguably the fittest player out there. Now, I'm just looking forward to seeing Virat back in action. Fans have missed watching him, and personally, I'd love to see him continue playing the One-Day International format for a while longer because he still has so much to offer. When he retired from Test cricket, I genuinely felt he still had four to five years left in him, not just to play, but to dominate, because that's the kind of batter he is," Harbhajan told JioHotstar.

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Harbhajan also backed both Rohit and Kohli to make a big impact with the bat during India's tour of Australia.

"He's now heading to Australia, his favourite place to bat, and I'm sure he'll once again show his mettle there. We've seen him score tons of runs in those conditions before, and I believe he'll do it again. The same goes for Rohit; I'm looking forward to both these legends scoring heavily for India and helping the team win matches," said Harbhajan.

Kohli has an impressive record in Australia, amassing 1,327 runs in 29 matches at an average of over 51. Harbhajan believes these are the kind of conditions where Kohli thrives and expressed hope that the star batter will notch up at least two centuries in the upcoming three-match series.

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"Some players thrive when things get difficult; that's when they bring out their best. And Virat Kohli is one of those players. He shines on big occasions, and that's what sets him apart from others. He waits for those big opportunities, those high-pressure games, and that's when he shows why he's a champion."

"When you perform against the best, that's when you earn respect, and he's earned that, especially after scoring those hundreds in Australia and taking on the responsibility of leading the team. Those are the challenges he looks forward to. Australia is his favourite hunting ground, and now he's making his comeback after the IPL. I'm really looking forward to seeing him bat in those three ODIs, and hopefully, out of those three, he gets at least two centuries for India," said Harbhajan.