No pressure on Rohit Sharma: Team India make their stance clear as furor grows over retirement

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has denied that the team management is putting pressure on Rohit Sharma as retirement rumors gather pace after the Cardiff ODI against England. Rohit has gone through a lean patch in ODIs, scoring 241 runs in the last eight games at an average of 30.1 and a strike rate of 88.6.

During the second ODI in Cardiff, Rohit struggled for rhythm and scored 26 off 47 balls before falling to Will Jacks. Soon after, a report from PTI said that the former India captain was all set to make his last appearance in national team colors during the 3rd ODI at Lord’s. He also claimed that the selectors will not back Rohit after the England tour, meaning he will not be in the plans for the ODI World Cup next year.

Kotak was asked if India will look beyond Rohit and give a chance to Yashasvi Jaiswal or Ishan Kishan at the top. The Indian batsman said a big player like Rohit is immune to pressure and brushed off form concerns after the first two ODIs.

“See, I don’t think a big player like Rohit Sharma can have any kind of pressure. He’s too good a player to feel that. Yes, he didn’t get runs in the opening two matches, but I don’t think it made any difference. But today also looked like he’s likely to have a good innings. But that’s okay,” Kotak told reporters at the post-match press conference.

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Published on:

Jul 17, 2026 08:18 IST