Speculation surrounding Rohit Sharma’s ODI future has intensified during India’s ongoing three-match series against England. Reports claimed that the third ODI at Lord’s could potentially be the veteran batter’s final appearance in Indian colours, triggering widespread discussion among fans and former cricketers.
While the rumours continue to dominate headlines, several former players have come out in support of the Indian opener. Rohit remains one of India’s greatest ODI batters, having led the country to multiple memorable triumphs while establishing himself as one of the most successful opening batters in the history of the format.
Ashok Dinda reflects on Rohit Sharma’s legacy
Former India fast bowler Ashok Dinda strongly backed Rohit, highlighting the immense impact the veteran opener has had on Indian cricket over the years. Dinda, who shared the dressing room with Rohit during the early stages of their international careers, described him as a legend whose contribution extends far beyond statistics. Recalling their long association, Dinda revealed that the two spent plenty of time together off the field as well, sharing several memorable moments throughout their careers.
“He is a massive player. We’ve played quite a few matches together; we practically started our careers for India around the same time. Since then, he has won so many matches for India, set so many records, earned the nickname ‘Hitman,’ and even won a World Cup. He is a legend. If he retires, I offer him my heartiest congratulations, though India will certainly miss him. I have so many memories with Rohit. We used to play PlayStation together, go shopping, and have dinner together. I even danced at his wedding,” Dinda said to ANI.
BCCI dismisses retirement rumours
Although speculation surrounding Rohit’s future has gathered momentum following his recent lean patch, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has firmly dismissed reports suggesting that the Lord’s ODI will be his farewell match. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia clarified that there has been no discussion regarding Rohit’s retirement and reiterated that the veteran opener remains very much a part of India’s ODI plans.
“There are a lot of speculations going on in the media about Rohit Sharma’s future. I want to firmly assert that there has been no such discussion that Rohit will be playing his last match at Lord’s. Rohit is a regular member of the Indian ODI team and he will continue to represent the country as long as he is in the scheme of things. In other words, Lord’s ODI won’t be his last match,” Saikia said.
Rohit has endured a difficult run with the bat in the ongoing England series, registering scores of 11 and 26 in the opening two ODIs. Overall, he has scored 241 runs in eight ODI innings in 2026, with a highest score of 79. Having already retired from T20Is and Test cricket, the 39-year-old continues to focus solely on the ODI format as India build towards future ICC tournaments.
