Perth – Even amid the emotional theme of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's return to India fold, Shubman Gill's maiden outing as full-time ODI skipper provides an equally compelling narrative to the first one-dayer against Australia here on Sunday.

Kohli and Rohit are coming back to national colours after playing the Champions Trophy in March, and the dynamics of Indian cricket has changed irrevocably in these seven months.

The cricketing ecosystem has learned to survive the prolonged absence of Kohli and Rohit - at least in two formats - in this interim period.

So, what do these two veteran batters now have to offer to the side?

Before delving into that question, let's be clear about it - Kohli and Rohit will be counted among the greatest one-day batters across the eras and by any yardstick.

They have also been training hard for this series. Rohit seemed to have shed a few kilos and moulded himself into a chiselled figure, and Kohli was sweating it out in London, his new base, with a private trainer.

But the challenge for these two giants is to shake off the accumulated rust post the IPL, their last competitive outing.

It might just be a blessing for them that their return coincided with a series against Australia, a team that had cathartic influence during the course of their long careers.

In that context, the three-match ODI series can be considered as a barometer of their individual drive and willingness to travel still farther in their working lives as one-format players.

But unlike Kohli, Rohit needs to come to terms with his new role of being just a senior player.

Rohit's previous T20I and ODI outings ended with celebration after guiding the team to ICC trophies, and he was leading the side even in his last Test appearance in Melbourne.

If Kohli can produce those brilliantly calibrated knocks and Rohit his incandescent shot-making up the order, then these two stalwarts can hope to hang on for long.

It will be fascinating to watch an old rivalry coming to life again as Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will try to keep the Ro-Ko duo quiet once more.

The celebrated cricketers will clearly be knowing that they no longer have the immunity of leadership role or luxury of time, as the current selectors and team management have no deep remorse in taking some harsh calls with future in mind, particularly the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar hinted as much.

“Look they (Rohit and Kohli) are part of the squad at the moment for Australia. They are not on trial. Once they start playing, then you assess.

“But we have some ideas, and we'll probably have a better idea of where the team is progressing,” said Agarkar during the 'NDTV World Summit.'

Gill's burden

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Future is what Gill is expected to shape. But he will always have the looming figures of Kohli and Rohit behind him.

The 26-year-old has already shown that he is capable of standing up to the legacy of Kohli as a batter during the away series against England.

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