Veteran India opener Rohit Sharma brushed aside speculation over his ODI future, reaffirming his commitment to the format after smashing a record-breaking century in the third and final ODI against England at Lord’s on Sunday.
Ahead of the third ODI against England at Lord’s, all eyes were on Rohit amid growing speculation that the match could mark his final appearance in the iconic blue jersey. Speculation had reached a fever pitch, with reports suggesting that selectors were preparing to look beyond the 39-year-old veteran ahead of the 2027 World Cup. But on Sunday, the ‘Hitman’ did what he does best – he let his bat do the talking, delivering a masterclass that rewritten the record books and emphatically silenced the chatter.
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A Historic Masterclass At The Home of Cricket
Facing a daunting target of 388 set by a powerhouse English lineup, Rohit put on a vintage batting display. He smashed a magnificent 138 off 110 deliveries, laced with 17 boundaries and 5 towering sixes. In doing so, he achieved what no other Indian batter had ever done before: scoring an ODI century at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Rohit set a brilliant foundation, stitching together a 147-run opening stand with current captain Shubman Gill (77) and a 113-run partnership with his long-time compatriot Virat Kohli (74). Despite his heroic effort and battling mid-innings cramps, India suffered a late-order collapse to finish at 360/7, falling 27 runs short and conceding the series 2-1 to England.
‘My Job is Inside, Their Job is Outside’
While the match result went against the Men in Blue, the post-match conversation completely shifted from a potential farewell to a roaring statement of longevity. Speaking in a video shared by the BCCI, a characteristically calm Rohit completely brushed aside the intense media scrutiny regarding his future.
“Look, my job is with the bat, come and play, represent my country, represent the team. That’s what I’ve been told to do since I made my debut so that’s what I’m going to do. The noise, since I made my debut, was there. And till the time I’m going to stay here, it’s always going to be there. So it doesn’t really matter too much. What matters is what I do on the field. Try and contribute to the success of the team,” Rohit said in a bcci.tv video.
“That’s all my focus is right now. And let the noise be there. If there’s no noise, there’s no fun. My job is inside, their job is outside. That’s how I look at it,” he added.
The clarity from Rohit echoed what was already communicated behind the scenes. On the eve of the match, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia had firmly shot down retirement reports, confirming that Rohit remains integral to India’s limited-overs setup.
Following the game, captain Shubman Gill also confirmed that the retirement rumors were strictly a media creation.
“He’s not told us anything,” Gill told reporters at the post-match press conference.
“I think it’s all out in the media, but there’s not been any discussion like that in the team. The way Rohit bhai paced his innings was outstanding… it was truly a treat to watch.”
While the road to the 2027 World Cup will demand top-tier fitness and form, Rohit’s performance show he isn’t slowing down. Over the last two years, the opener has amassed 1,029 runs in 23 ODIs, including three centuries.
With the England tour wrapped up, the veteran will enjoy a well-deserved breather. The Indian squad will next see ODI action in September when they host the West Indies for a three-match home series.
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