Goodbye Lord’s 100? Rohit Sharma backtracked to bow out in style amid talk of retirement

As speculation about Rohit Sharma’s ODI future continues to gather pace, former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel believes the veteran opener is capable of producing one last masterpiece. With reports suggesting Sunday’s series decider against England at Lord’s could be his last appearance in Indian colours, Patel backed the 39-year-old to respond to his critics in typical style.

Questions over Rohit’s future have intensified following his struggles in the ongoing series. The former India captain scored 11 and 26 in the first two ODIs, extending a slender run that saw him score just 241 runs in the last eight matches. Disappointing returns fueled speculation India could soon start planning for life after Rohit as preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup gather pace.

However, Patel feels that Rohit’s recent struggles should not overshadow his ability to bounce back under pressure.

“If Lord’s ODI is indeed the last match of his career, Rohit Sharma would like to score a century. He is more than capable of that. We have seen it throughout his career – after two or three low scores, he often bounces back with a winning knock in the very next innings,” Patel said.

ROHIT’S FUTURE AT STAKE

Patel claimed that Rohit’s greatness lies in his ability to produce game-changing innings when his team needs them the most. The opener remains one of the most successful ODI batsmen in history with over 11,000 runs and 33 centuries, including a record three double hundreds.

“The gap between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma has always been consistent. Rohit may not score heavily in every game, but when he does, he plays a substantial innings and often ends up winning the man of the match award,” Patel said.

Rohit’s struggles in the second ODI in Cardiff only increased the scrutiny around him. The opener never looked settled at the crease and found it difficult to deal with the uneven bounce offered by the goods. However, Patel insisted that the veteran has repeatedly silenced his critics throughout his career and could do so again on one of cricket’s biggest stages.

“He didn’t look comfortable in this game. He was troubled by uneven bounce and never found his rhythm. But this is another opportunity for him to silence his critics. It has happened many times before and he always responded with the bat,” added Patel.

If indeed Lord’s turns out to be Rohit’s last ODI outingPatel hopes the curtain will come down in memorable fashion.

“So, if Lord’s ODI is indeed his last match, I hope he plays an innings that people will remember for a long time,” he added.

Meanwhile, India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak dismissed concerns over Rohit’s form, insisting the skipper was under no pressure despite his recent struggles and attributed his lack of runs to the tough batting conditions.

With the three-match series level at 1-1 following India’s four-wicket win in Cardiff, all eyes will be on Rohit when India and England meet at Lord’s on Sunday, July 19.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

Jul 17, 2026 1:51 PM IST