The question marks were already there, and after Rohit Sharma’s latest score of 26 in the second India vs England ODI on Thursday, the doubts over his future have only increased. When the squad for the England series was named, there was already speculation over his time in the Indian cricket team. With India’s plans shaping up for the 2027 ODI World Cup, one wondered whether the 39-year-old Rohit could last until then. The fact that a young Yashasvi Jaiswal is waiting on the sidelines made matters all the more complicated. (India vs England 2nd ODI Highlights)
In the first ODI in Birmingham, Rohit scored 11. On Thursday, his innings was not at all fluent. The former India captain rode his luck on the way to scoring 26 off 47 balls. After the knock, a report by news agency PTI claimed that the third and final ODI between India and England on July 19 could be Rohit’s last game in the format. In the last eight ODIs, Rohit has totalled only 241 runs at an average of 30.1 and a strike rate of 88.6, with one half-century.
“The national selectors are keen that Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored two hundreds in three innings, gets a longer rope. There are around 20 games, and Jaiswal needs to be given those 20 games. No one can tell Rohit to retire, but it is very clear that, going forward, for the home series vs West Indies in September, the selectors would like to look ahead. Rohit’s future is a decision that he needs to take,” a senior BCCI source privy to selection matters told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar is in Cardiff as the touring selector, and it is pretty clear that they are not looking at the 39-year-old, double ICC Trophy-winning India skipper for next year’s ODI World Cup.
What Is Rohit Sharma’s Reaction?
Another report in The Indian Express claimed that the BCCI selectors have informed the star that they have decided to move on from him after the series.
“Selectors have informed Rohit he is not in their scheme of things post the England tour, and they are moving on from him after this series. Though he wanted to continue, especially after working on his fitness, the selectors have left the ball in Sharma’s court to decide his future,” the report quoted a source as saying.
The report further added that Sharma spoke to some BCCI officials during the England series, and the opener was not happy.
It must be mentioned that head coach Gautam Gambhir and Agarkar are on the same page that Virat Kohli is an automatic choice given his form and fitness, but not Rohit. It is understood that if Rohit is persisted with beyond the England series, then there is no way that Jaiswal, the next in line, would get the precious game time he needs.
It must also be mentioned that the selection committee and Rohit were not on the same page when it came to his Test retirement.
While sources close to the selection committee maintained that they didn’t want Rohit to make a decision after playing only two of the five Tests in England, those privy to Rohit’s version vouched that he never intended to play only two games and had made himself available for the entire series.
With PTI inputs