Quite early in his international career in the ’90s, Sachin Tendulkar received a startling warning and a prophetic target for his cricketing journey from the legendary Sunil Gavaskar. The senior Mumbaikar, on national television, predicted that Tendulkar would break his then-record of 34 Test hundreds and cheekily forewarned that he ‘would personally go and strangle’ him 20 years down the line, if he were to not record a “minimum of 15,0000 runs and 40 centuries in Test cricket.”
Gavaskar’s spotless ‘eye test’ ensured assurance for India’s dominance for nearly two decades with Tendulkar, until the 2012 season returned uncertainty over the next heroes. It would, however, not take too long for India to find answers as another timely Gavaskar prediction would fall during the 2012 Asia Cup in Mirpur, coinciding with Tendulkar’s final ODI appearance.
The match that marked Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s rise
Two days after Tendulkar recorded his monumental 100th international century against Bangladesh, albeit in a losing cause, India were in a scramble to see off arch-rivals Pakistan to qualify for the 2012 Asia Cup final. The challenge only grew steeper. Pakistan racked up a mammoth 330-run chase for India to make a bid to improve their Net Run Rate to reach the final.
“Future of Indian batting.”
Sunil Gavaskar in 2012
Who will be the next future of Indian batting?
pic.twitter.com/MIjybtD5Ct— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) May 12, 2025
Tendulkar would bow out by setting up the chase with his 48-ball 52. However, Indian cricket witnessed its next ‘big thing’ and the future batting stars with the partnership that followed the dismissal of ODI cricket’s highest record run-scorer in the 20th over of the chase. In walked 25-year-old Rohit Sharma, assisting the dashing Delhi batter, Virat Kohli, who had already stormed past his half-century.
In a matter of hours of stroke-filled batting, Kohli and Rohit powered India past 300 within 45 overs, prompting Gavaskar to return with his prophetic claim while on commentary duties with former India leg-spinner L. Sivaramakrishnan. He boldly declared:
“Siva, I think we have glimpsed the future. The future of Indian batting.
“Rahul Dravid has just called it a day. We don’t know how long Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman are going to be around. But I think that (Kohli and Rohit) is the glimpse of India’s batting future.”
Watch: Virat Kohli’s 183 vs Pakistan in 2012 Asia Cup
Kohli’s rampaging 183 in a six-wicket win would mark his highest-ever ODI score as India romped home in 47.5 overs, with Rohit chipping in with a crucial 68. India would make an almost seamless transition in the ODI top-order after Tendulkar’s retirement, with both Rohit and Kohli acing the format throughout the decade that followed.
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With 14,181 and 11,168 runs and 83 centuries between them in the format, Kohli and Rohit have since established themselves as the cornerstones of India’s modern-day limited-overs teams. Kohli and Rohit remain as the most prolific active ODI batters, 13 years on from that hot evening in Mirpur as Sunny G aced another Indian talent forecast with revered distinction.
