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 future. 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.
After his innings, a report in 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. The report added that the BCCI selectors have informed the star that they have decided to move on from him after the series. 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 get 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 this is very clear that going forward for the home series vs West Indies in September, the selectors would like to look forward. Rohit’s future is a decision that he needs to take,” a senior BCCI source privy to selection matters told PTI on conditions 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 the next year’s ODI World Cup.
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.
“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,” amother report in The Indian Express 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 England, then there is no way that Jaiswal, the next in queue, would miss out on a precious game time.
It must be mentioned that selection committee and Rohit were not on the same page when it came to his Test retirement.
While the sources close to selection committee maintained that they didn’t want Rohit to decide after playing two of the five Tests in England, those who are privy to Rohit’s version vouched that he never intended to play only two games and had made himself available for the whole series.