New Delhi: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has said splendid ton against England in the recently concluded third ODI at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London was a “tight slap” to his critics.
Amid reports that the Lord’s ODI could prove to be his last game for India, Rohit produced one of his best knocks in recent times against England.
The Hitman slammed a brilliant 138, however, his ton went in vain as ended up losing the game by 27 runs after failing to chase down the target of 388 runs. Nonetheless, Rohit’s ton under pressure earned him praise from all corners, with many calling it a perfect response to his doubters.
On Tuesday, the senior Indian batter attended the opening game of The Hundred 2026 between MI London and the Sunrisers Leeds at the Kia Oval in London. He was seen in the stands with MI owner Nita Ambani. Shastri, who was on commentary duty during the game, couldn’t help but discuss the controversy surrounding Rohit after spotting the India batter at the stadium.
Backing the Hitman, Shastri said Rohit must be feeling relaxed after silencing his critics with his 138-run knock against England at Lord’s. “Well, the Hitman is in, Ravi,” said Shastri’s fellow commentator after Rohit appeared on the cameras. The former India head coach joined the conversation.
“Yes, he’ll be nice and relaxed after silencing his critics. A lot of noise made before that last one-day international, and then a reply, a nice tight slap with the bat. 138. His first hundred at Lord’s. Yeah, he’s seen it all, five titles for the Mumbai Indians as captain,” Shastri said in the commentary box.
1st Indian to score an ODI century at Lord’s
Rohit shattered multiple records with his 138-run knock against England in the third ODI at Lord’s on Sunday. He became the first batter to score an ODI ton at the iconic venue and also became the first-ever visiting batter to complete 1500 ODI runs in England en route to his century. The Hitman also broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most ODI centuries in a country with his 8th ton in England.
The knock has eased pressure on the 39-year-old, who was facing intense scrutiny over his spot in India’s ODI setup ahead of the 2027 World Cup. However, Rohit will have to continue performing consistently to keep his spot in the team with youngsters like Yashavsi Jaiswal breathing down his neck.