‘What more could you want?’: BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia’s low-key message to Rohit Sharma amid 2027 World Cup speculation

NEW DELHI: BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has brushed off growing speculation over Rohit Sharma’s ODI future, insisting that the former India captain continues to play at a high level and questioning why his place in the side is being debated.After a high-level Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) assessment meeting in Mumbai on Thursday, Saikia offered a staunch defense of the 39-year-old, whose future has once again become a major talking point with the 2027 ODI World Cup looming.“He is playing brilliantly in all the matches. So, what more can you want? He scored 138 runs in the last match. So why the speculation? So I don’t want to contribute to the speculation,” Saikia said.His comments came amid reports that the selectors were considering a move away from Rohit in their ODI plans, potentially leaving his participation in the 2027 World Cup in doubt.

Rohit responded to the speculation with a Lord’s century

Speculation intensified during India’s ODI tour of England earlier this year, with reports suggesting that the Lord’s ODI could be Rohit’s final appearance in an India shirt.Instead, Rohit responded in characteristic fashion – a match-defining performance.He smashed 138 at Lord’s to become the oldest Indian to score an ODI hundred at the iconic venue, though his effort fell short. The innings showed again why questions about his future have been accompanied by equally strong arguments for his retention.After the England tour, Rohit made it clear that he is not bothered by the constant speculation.“If there’s no noise, there’s no fun. My work is inside, their work is outside. That’s the way I look at it,” he said. “The noise since my debut has been there. And as long as I don’t stay here, it will always be there. It doesn’t matter too much. What matters is what I do on the pitch. I want to try and contribute to the team’s success. That’s what I’m focused on.”Rohit retired from Test cricket in 2025 and from T20Is in 2024, leaving ODI cricket as his only remaining international format.Saikia’s latest comments came after a meeting attended by head coach Gautam Gambhir, ODI captain Shubman Gill, T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, BCCI president Mithun Manhas and Saikia.The secretary had already endorsed Rohit before the Lord’s match, saying on 17 July, “Rohit is a regular member of the Indian ODI team and will continue to represent the country as long as he is in the scheme of things. In other words, Lord’s ODI will not be his last match.”Rohit’s age remains an inevitable part of the discussion. He will be 40 in 2027, the year of the next ODI World Cup, and India will inevitably have to consider succession planning.