Rohit Sharma’s retirement speculation wasn’t merely outside noise, hints R Ashwin

Former India spinner R Ashwin hinted that there was more to the reports claiming Rohit Sharma had fallen out of favour with the selectors before the third and final ODI of India’s tour of England. Rohit smashed 138 off 110 balls, becoming the first Indian batter to score an ODI century at Lord’s, albeit in a losing cause as India failed to chase 388 in the series decider.

Reports were rife before the third ODI at Lord’s that it would be Sharma’s last game, with the opener reportedly being informed before the series. It was also claimed that Sharma had pushed back against chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and head coach Virat Kohli.

NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE: ASHWIN

The rumours, however, fell flat two days before the ODI when Indian Cricket Board secretary Devajit Saikia shut down the speculation, stating that the Lord’s ODI would not be Rohit Sharma’s last in India colours. However, Ashwin believes there could not have been smoke without fire.

“See, when the news of Rohit Sharma’s potential retirement broke. Okay, you call it outside noise. I won’t call it that. There is a saying in Tamil: ‘There is no smoke without fire’. There was fire, but he scored runs. He showed he can do it. In his mind, I don’t think there is any doubt that he can play the 2027 World Cup,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin credited Rohit for his fighting hundred, saying the opener was battling not only the outside noise but perhaps the after-effects of an injury as well. Sharma had recently picked up an injury during the 2026 Indian Premier League season, where he was sidelined for five matches.

Ashwin argued that had Rohit been fully fit, he could have dominated England at Lord’s.

“I feel that this is Rohit’s road to a comeback after an injury. If he were in a slightly better state or were more confident, he could have scored 180 and won the match for the team. I felt like Rohit was in really good form,” Ashwin said.

WILL ROHIT-KOHLI PLAY 2027 WORLD CUP?

The Indian team management is yet to confirm Rohit Sharma’s place, or, for that matter, Virat Kohli’s, for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Kohli, who has been in stupendous form, has all but made the case for being an automatic selection. Rohit, on the other hand, has blown hot and cold since losing the ODI captaincy to Shubman Gill, but his century at Lord’s, India’s first in the format at the iconic venue, should help reduce the chatter around his future.

Ashwin argued that as long as Rohit and Virat continued to score runs, it would be impossible for the selectors or the coach to leave them out.

“They cannot touch Virat and Rohit if they want to play. It is because of their credentials. Rohit has scored almost 12,000 runs; they cannot touch him. The other thing is that they are batters, and if you touch them, they have an army. People come to see them. If you drop them, it will just break the roof down,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

India will play their next ODI series against the West Indies at home. The three-match series is scheduled to begin on September 27.

– Ends