Rohit Sharma no more automatic selection after Lord's ODI
Rohit Sharma no more automatic selection after Lord’s ODI: The third and final ODI against England at Lord’s on Sunday could be Rohit Sharma’s last as a guaranteed place in India’s ODI squad after the game is not assured, with selectors already looking beyond the next ICC Cricket World Cup 2027. As per various reports, the national selection committee has told Rohit that he won’t be an automatic choice after the current England series ends.
The development comes on top of increasing speculation over the 39-year-old’s international future amid a run drought with the bat. Rohit has also been jaded in the ODIs recently, as his 26 in the second ODI against England at Cardiff, from where he questions about keeping his place in the squad only grew.
Sources have claimed that India is looking for a younger set of players with an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup. New India batting talent like the untouchable in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal is a long-term play, as per team sources, so senior batsmen at some stage have to be eased out from the setup.
Even with the conjecture, India’s batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, has publicly backed Rohit Sharma, stating that a player of his stature can come back. However, Kotak was dismissive of the speculation surrounding Rohit’s supposed pressure and backed the veteran opener to come up with a match-winning knock in the series decider at Lord’s.
If the reports turns out to be genuine, the ODI to be played by India against England on Sunday on the hallowed ground of Lord’s Cricket Ground could turn into Rohit Sharma’s last match for India in ODIs. Yet, neither the BCCI nor skipper Rohit has officially confirmed any retirement plans, or called time on his ODI career.
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