The third and final One Day International (ODI) between England and India at Lord’s on July 19, 2026, delivered high drama, breathtaking strokeplay, and a defining moment in Indian cricket history. Chasing a massive target of 388 runs in the series decider in London, India fell short by 27 runs, conceding the three-match rubber 2-1 to the hosts. Yet, despite the team’s defeat, the match will forever be remembered for a monumental knock by veteran opener Rohit Sharma. Amid intense speculation surrounding his international future, the 39-year-old maestro produced a masterpiece of 138 off 110 balls. Adding a unique touch to his historic feat was a remarkable detail: the blade that powered his magical innings belonged to his long-time Mumbai teammate, Shardul Thakur.
Shardul Thakur opens up about the bat that helped Rohit Sharma script history at Lord’s
Rohit’s sensational hundred at the ‘Home of Cricket’ came off a willow gifted by fellow Mumbai all-rounder Thakur. Sensing that his own bats lacked the ideal balance during the high-stakes chase, the former Indian skipper turned to Thakur’s equipment in the dressing room.
Speaking about the gesture, Thakur, affectionately known as ‘Lord Thakur’, expressed his delight in aiding his senior teammate. Thakur revealed that bat manufacturer Jatin Sareen had supplied him with top-quality SS willows, a couple of which Rohit had previously asked to borrow because he loved their feel and pickup. Having grown up playing together from school cricket to Mumbai’s domestic circuit and the Mumbai Indians IPL setup, Thakur noted that denying Rohit the bats was simply out of the question. He shared immense pride in seeing Rohit script history on cricket’s grandest stage using his willow.
“I am signed with SS bats and Jatin Sareen (owner) has been very kind to send me some excellent piece of willows. Rohit once requested me to give him a couple of bats since he loved them. We all love him and he’s given us so many joyful moments in the game of cricket that denying him the bats was out of question. And today I am really happy that he scored his historic hundred at Lord’s cricket ground using one of my bats,” Thakur stated to The Indian Express.
The century arrived at a critical juncture, silencing external noise regarding Rohit’s future ahead of India’s upcoming series in September. Reaching triple figures off just 84 deliveries with a delicate sweep off Adil Rashid, Rohit offered a calm fist bump to non-striker Virat Kohli before gesturing warmly toward the dressing room and his family in the stands.
Rohit becomes India’s first centurion at Lord’s in ODIs
Rohit’s 138-run blitz marked a landmark achievement, making him the first Indian batter in history to score an ODI century at Lord’s. Laced with 17 fours and 5 maximums, his knock equalled Sir Viv Richards‘ 1979 World Cup final record for the highest score by an overseas batter at the iconic venue.
The innings also shattered multiple historic benchmarks:
- Oldest Indian Centurion: At 39 years and 80 days, Rohit surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to become India’s oldest ODI centurion.
- Overseas Dominance: It marked his eighth ODI hundred on English soil, setting a world record for the most centuries scored by any visiting batter in a single foreign country.
Though India missed out on securing the series victory, Rohit’s fighting effort proved that his hunger for performing on the big stage remains undiminished.
