The sight of Virat Kohli jumping and dancing all over Rohit Sharma during an high-octane passage of play against Sri Lanka paradoxically brought about calmness among the Indian fans. All finally seemed well.

As two men in their mid-thirties embraced their inner children to sway to the sound of timber, you smiled, for the madness brought strange comfort. When Kohli had a dip in form not too long ago, a quick glance at him on the field was enough to conclude that he was not his natural self.

He would still roar back, but the fire was dim. Stares and glares met every new batter, but… something was amiss. Kohli later admitted to being a diluted version of himself, often faking his aggression to keep the team going.

But against Sri Lanka, it all flowed. The over-the-top, hysterical celebrations, which would otherwise have met with criticism from experts who like to define how sports should be played, were given a free pass just this once. Kohli’s hippity-hoppity dances symbolised the energy in the dressing room, which finally looks rejuvenated after welcoming back their injured warriors and finding stalwarts amongst the runs.

It also is the realisation that the Indian team, as things stand now, may disassemble after the World Cup. Rohit and Kohli may not play a World Cup together again. Enjoy the last days together, they say, for the memories are all you will have when you finally walk away.

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The two men have been pitted against each other by fans for most of the last decade, been blamed for the lack of trophies won by India and seen their feats reduced on social media, where praise is hard to come by and trolls are aplenty.

Three weeks before the World Cup, however, the fan clubs are empathetic as the last dance beckons.

Realistically, Rohit, who is 36, and Kohli, who will turn 35 by the time the World Cup ends, are unlikely to play the 2027 edition. Even if one manages to stall the vagaries of time, it is unlikely that both will. And that’s tough to take.

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It all began in 2013 when Rohit was still finding his feet in international cricket and Kohli had established himself as a future superstar with a breakthrough 2012 season.

Rohit needed one himself. At Bengaluru against Australia, he showed signs of a new start, making 209 in 158 deliveries. It was not a blemish-free innings, but he muscled his way to the landmark after a mix-up with Kohli, who was run out for a duck.

With both batters in the middle of the pitch, Kohli sacrificed his wicket after the vastly talented Rohit, yet to announce himself, had gotten off to a start. A year later, when Rohit made 264 against Sri Lanka, another mix-up with Kohli resulted: yet again, Kohli gave his wicket away, for 66.

Little would one have known that this was to be the start of a highly successful bond. Together, they have become the face of Indian cricket since MS Dhoni bid adieu. On the field, they mustered over 5,000 ODI runs between them, at 61.82, the best among all pairs with at least 3,500 runs together. Off it, they have backed and supported each other in public, each questioning the other’s doubters.

Even during their reported rift, Kohli had no qualms about sacrificing his No.4 Test spot to move up in order to accommodate Rohit into the Test team in 2016. Having batted at No.3 only thrice in his career, he knew what he was doing in the midst of a golden run for a remarkably talented cricketer trying to find his groove in Test cricket.

Attempts to make Rohit a regular in the format were frequent. The efforts have since borne fruit as Rohit shone in Test wins in Australia and England, which will forever remain cherished memories of generations of Indian fans.

Given the ODI captaincy after Kohli’s unceremonious axing, Rohit publicly backed his most trusted ward through the blip. As Kohli coped with mental health issues away from prying eyes, captain Rohit gave him the space and freedom even ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup. He would have loved to have Kohli playing, but he also knew that India needed Kohli to sort out his demons first.

Now, Standing on the threshold of yet another World Cup that may define the legacy of the giants, we look back – and ahead – with mixed emotions. The time spent arguing over the better batter, the moments not cherished because it wasn’t our chosen one seems futile.

In reality, they have depended on each other for their success. Rohit bats freely knowing a legendary No.3 is to follow, and Kohli makes most of the foundation Rohit sets for him.

Our hearts will break when goodbyes are said, and cricket will undergo new challenges again, but if India stands as favourites for the World Cup today, it is because of the undying efforts of both Rohit and Kohli to take the team to greater heights.

For India, it was never one versus the other; it was always Kohli and Rohit fighting together, with a combined goal that was unwavering and never in doubt. If only we had realised it sooner.