As speculation over Rohit Sharma’s ODI future continues to gather pace, former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel believes the veteran opener is capable of producing one final masterpiece. With reports suggesting that Sunday’s series decider against England at Lord’s could be his last appearance in Indian colours, Patel backed the 39-year-old to answer his critics in trademark fashion.
Questions over Rohit’s future have intensified after his struggles in the ongoing series. The former India captain managed scores of 11 and 26 in the first two ODIs, extending a lean run that has seen him score only 241 runs in his last eight matches. The disappointing returns have fuelled speculation that India could soon begin planning for life after Rohit as preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup gather pace.
However, Patel believes Rohit’s recent struggles should not overshadow his ability to bounce back under pressure.
“If the Lord’s ODI is indeed the last match of his career, Rohit Sharma would want to sign off with a century. He is more than capable of doing that. We’ve seen it throughout his career – after two or three low scores, he often bounces back with a match-winning knock in the very next innings,” Patel said.
ROHIT’S FUTURE UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
Patel argued that Rohit’s greatness lies in his ability to produce game-changing innings when his team needs them most. The opener remains one of the most accomplished ODI batters in history, with more than 11,000 runs and 33 centuries to his name, including a record three double hundreds.
“The difference between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma has always been consistency. Rohit may not score heavily in every game, but when he does, he plays a substantial innings and often ends up winning the Player of the Match award,” Patel said.
Rohit’s struggles in the second ODI at Cardiff only intensified the scrutiny around him. The opener never looked settled at the crease and found it difficult to deal with the uneven bounce on offer. Patel, though, insisted that the veteran had 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 the 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 has always responded with the bat,” Patel added.
If Lord’s does indeed prove to be Rohit’s final ODI outing, Patel hopes the curtain comes down in memorable fashion.
“So, if the Lord’s ODI is indeed his final match, I hope he plays an innings that people remember for a long time,” he added.
Meanwhile, India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak dismissed concerns surrounding Rohit’s form, insisting that the captain was under no pressure despite his recent struggles and attributing his lack of runs to the challenging batting conditions.
With the three-match series level at 1-1 following India’s four-wicket victory in Cardiff, all eyes will be on Rohit when India and England meet in the decider at Lord’s on Sunday, July 19.
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