Last Updated on 3 weeks ago by Charbel Coorey
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has expressed his views on Rohit Sharma’s future after the opener’s fine century in the third ODI against England at Lord’s on 19 July.
Rohit scored 138 while chasing a target of 388 but India fell short by 27 runs to lose the match and three-match series 2-1. It was Rohit’s 34th ODI hundred and his first of 2026.
Mohammad Kaif: “Rohit Sharma has now decided that he will not walk away on his own”
Kaif mentioned that the Indian team management has not come out and said anything about Rohit’s place in the plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The coaching staff has backed his aggressive batting style on multiple occasions in the past, which could point to Rohit making any retirement decision on his own terms.
“The fact that he [Rohit] has not stepped away or announced his retirement, the enthusiasm he is showing, the way he is approaching his batting, and the hundred he scored at Lord’s – all of this shows that he is now focused entirely on playing,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
“Whatever the selectors want to do is up to them. Perhaps earlier there was an attempt to convince him about certain things internally. The problem at the moment is that it is difficult to understand who stands where. There is a lot of confusion.”
Kaif believes there needs to be public backing of Rohit. The constant speculation does no favours a little more than a year out from the World Cup.
“Yes, one thing has become clear. Rohit Sharma is effectively saying, ‘if I am not playing well, you take the call yourselves. Drop me’.
“At times, members of the coaching staff come out and say, ‘We have given Rohit Sharma complete freedom to play his natural game.’ But nobody has yet made a clear statement saying, ‘Rohit Sharma is part of our plans for the 2027 World Cup.’
“That statement also needs to come. Rohit Sharma’s form will naturally go up and down. He may have a poor series, but the management must say that it is standing behind him. Along with giving him freedom, they should also clearly say that they support him.
“Since no such statement has been made, there is considerable confusion and a lot of doubt. We are sitting outside, so we do not know exactly what is happening internally. But it appears to me that Rohit Sharma has now decided that he will not walk away on his own,” he added.
RELATED: “Look at Messi”: Mohammad Kaif believes India need Rohit & Virat in the 2027 ODI World Cup
Why this retirement trend Is different from Rohit’s previous retirements
There were reports that the match might have been Rohit’s last appearance in ODI cricket, but nothing was officially confirmed.
Kaif also spoke on alleged involvement of the BCCI in the episode and why he feels it is different this time as compared to Rohit’s previous retirements from other formats.
He said, “Twice, he has taken the decision himself. The report that the Lord’s match could be his final ODI was also framed as a possibility. There was a question mark attached to it. But when such reports emerge, they can quickly become much bigger. The BCCI did an impressive job by making a statement before the Lord’s match. That intervention became a turning point.”
India’s next ODI series is against West Indies at home, which begins on September 27.
For More Such News & Updates Follow: CricBlog
