When Kohli faced Sharma on the chessboard
For many years, Indian sports fans have debated Kohli vs Sharma. Cricket fans get excited whenever these two iconic surnames appear on opposite sides. But a Kohli-Sharma clash on a chessboard? That is not something we have seen before. So how exactly did this showdown find its way onto 64 squares? Check out the article to find out.
Well, Well, Well...
For over a decade, Indian cricket fans have debated one question more than any other: Kohli or Sharma? It could be at a tea stall, in a classroom, during a family gathering, or in the comment section. The debate never really had a winner. And perhaps that's because Indian cricket was lucky enough to have both.
But why am I talking about cricket on a chess news page? This morning, I was scrolling through Instagram when I came across a friend's story. It was a screenshot from the round 3 of the 360 ONE Global Chess Masters 2026. The pairing was interesting: Kohli vs Sharma! It felt like a headline of a cricket match!!
Of course, this was not Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma. The players were Pazhany Kaushal Kohli and Madhvendra Pratap Sharma. But the moment I saw those two surnames facing each other, an idea popped into my head: what if we looked at this game through the lens of Indian cricket's most famous surname battle?
So for the next few minutes, let's keep the chess moves exactly as they happened, but borrow a few terms from cricket to tell the story...!
Kohli was playing on the back foot even with the white pieces, while Madhvendra was playing like Rohit, on the front foot.
Powerplay
The position seemed like a power play. Black's pieces seem to have occupied every important square. White was struggling to get the pieces working together. It looked like White is going to be all out on 49!
Fall of wickets
Kohli played 26. Rfc1, which turned out to be a huge mistake. It's like giving a strike to the tailender.
Out of the ground
26. Nd5 was classic Rohit Sharma. The knight confidently jumped into the heart of White's position, targeting c3 and creating pressure. Once the rooks arrived on the c-file, the c3 pawn will be as vulnerable as a part-time bowler in the death overs.
Strategic time out
White recaptured on c4 with the knight. Sharma now had three options.
Option 1: A solid defensive block. Retreat the bishop and let White worry about defending the knight.
Option 2: A quick single. Capture the knight on b3 and allow White to take the bishop on d6.
Option 3: A risky four through third man. Not the safest option, but definitely the most entertaining one.
Most players would be happy with the first two options. Sharma, however, chose the third one. Just like Rohit Sharma spotting a chance to clear the infield, he went for the most aggressive continuation and grabbed the pawn on g3, created fresh threats and forced Kohli to solve multiple problems at once.
Kohli's pieces seemed to be wandering all over the board. If you follow cricket closely, you might remember Rohit Sharma's line,"Koi garden mein nahi ghoomega."
By move 30, the game was already leaning heavily in Sharma's favour. Cricket fans know the feeling. It's like those ODI innings where Rohit Sharma survives the early overs and settles in. Once that happens, everyone knows what could be coming next.
The game reached an endgame where Black had two extra pawns. It was like a free hit. And free hits are not something Rohit Sharma is known to waste.
Death overs
Kohli continued to fight. The position was difficult, perhaps even lost, but as long as there was a move to play, there was hope to chase. He sacrificed a knight and entered a desperate ending. It felt like a team needing 50 runs from the final 10 balls. Technically possible, but practically, the finish line was miles away.
The final ball
And then, in the immortal voice of Ravi Shastri: "There goes the f2 pawn!"
The final position told the story perfectly. Madhvendra played with the aggression and intent that fans often associate with Rohit. Kohli, meanwhile, kept fighting long after the game had started slipping away. He showed the resilience that has defined Virat's career.
Of course, this was never really about Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma. It was about two talented chess players who just happened to share some very famous surnames.
But if this game is any indication, Madhvendra Pratap Sharma is building a story of his own. Rohit Sharma became the first player to cross 250 in an ODI. Can Madhvendra become the first player from Madhya Pradesh to earn the Grandmaster title? Only time will tell...
But anyway, you can check out the full game below:
Fun fact!
This article has two authors. One spotted the Kohli-Sharma pairing, the other kept adding cricket references in the analysis. Much like a good partnership, the article grew through conversations, suggestions, and the "should we try this?" moments.
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