{"id":194159,"date":"2026-07-17T07:27:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T12:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194159"},"modified":"2026-07-17T07:27:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T12:57:53","slug":"with-next-generation-waiting-will-rohit-pass-the-torch-or-rekindle-the-fire-from-within","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194159","title":{"rendered":"With next generation waiting, will Rohit pass the torch or rekindle the fire from within?"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

Sporting greats confront two questions towards the end of their careers \u2013 how to consistently live up to their glorious past and how to keep themselves relevant for an\u00a0uncertain future.<\/p>\n

Rohit Sharma has been in this situation for the past two years. In Tests, his form nosedived starting with the home series against Bangladesh in September 2024, and following the 0-3 reverse to New Zealand\u00a0and the subsequent 1-3 loss in Australia, he hurtled towards retirement.<\/p>\n

The waves of uncertainty have now hit ODIs. In Thursday\u2019s four-wicket defeat to England here at the Sophia Gardens, the 39-year-old came up with another below-par effort by scoring an unconvincing 47-ball 26. The series decider at Lord\u2019s in London on Sunday may well be his last chance saloon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think pressure is a factor for a player as big as Rohit,\u201d India\u2019s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak insisted after the Cardiff reverse. \u201cHe is too good a player to feel that. Yes, for two matches there haven\u2019t been runs. But I don\u2019t think that makes a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

The poser over Rohit\u2019s utility in the 50-over format has a two-part genesis \u2013 his recent form and the strength of the candidates vying to take his place.<\/p>\n

ALSO READ: If Lord\u2019s is the end, Rohit Sharma leaves ODI cricket richer than he found it<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

Rohit\u2019s numbers since the victorious Champions Trophy campaign are: 14 innings, 589 runs at an average of 45.3 and strike-rate of 92.03, with one century and four half-centuries. While these are in line with his overall career figures \u2013 average of 48.58 and strike-rate of 92.76 \u2013 the manner of scoring has left much to be desired.<\/p>\n

It is not a patch on the way Rohit batted during India\u2019s fantastic run to the 2023 World Cup final \u2013 average of 54.27 and a whopping strike-rate of 125.94 as he redefined both his and his team\u2019s approaches.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t help that in the present Indian cricketing ecosystem, many are forced to walk on eggshells. There have been some fair and ruthless calls, like the transition in ODI captaincy from Rohit to Shubman Gill last October and the culling of T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav.<\/p>\n

But the constant chopping and changing that is prevalent can unsettle minds. Rohit has had a consistent run, but it is not desirable if every innings is an audition. As William Shakespeare wrote in\u00a0 Measure for Measure,\u00a0<\/i>\u201cOur doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Yashasvi Jaiswal, India appears to have a readymade replacement. The 24-year-old southpaw from Mumbai is considered too good a batter to be playing just Tests, and his two centuries in his last three ODI outings \u2013 the second in Chennai last month against Afghanistan when he took the injured Virat Kohli\u2019s place \u2013 strengthen his case.<\/p>\n

\"Jaiswal<\/p>\n
Jaiswal has scored two centuries in his last three ODI outings
\n | Photo Credit:
\n PTI\n <\/p>\n

\"lightbox-info\"\/<\/figcaption><\/div>\n

\n

Jaiswal has scored two centuries in his last three ODI outings
\n | Photo Credit:
\n PTI\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

There is also Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was last picked for the home ODIs against South Africa in December 2025, and had made a fine hundred in Raipur.<\/p>\n

In fairness, another failure for Rohit at Lord\u2019s will certainly prompt discussions among the hierarchy. India\u2019s next ODI is scheduled for late September against the West Indies, and coming as it does just over a year ahead of the World Cup, it is important to have clarity on the pool of personnel.<\/p>\n

But the next two months also gives the wise men of Indian cricket time and space to have an unhurried and dispassionate assessment while being fully respectful towards a legend of the sport. Toughness need not come at the cost of being humane.<\/p>\n

Published on Jul 17, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sporting greats confront two questions towards the end of their careers \u2013 how to consistently live up to their glorious past and how to keep themselves relevant for an\u00a0uncertain future. Rohit Sharma has been in this situation for the past two years. In Tests, his form nosedived starting with the home series against Bangladesh in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":194160,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-194159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784293074_AP07_16_2026_000512A.jpg","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":194519,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194519","url_meta":{"origin":194159,"position":0},"title":"ENG vs IND, 3rd ODI: Rohit Sharma\u2019s record at Lord\u2019s","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 18, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"With speculation regarding his future put to rest by BCCI secretary Devajit Sakia on Friday, its safe to say Rohit Sharma will walk out to bat in the third ODI at Lords on Sunday for not the final time in India colours. 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The 39-year-old \u2060managed a laboured 26 off 47 balls on Thursday as England won the second match in Cardiff \u200cto level\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP07_16_2026_000512A.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP07_16_2026_000512A.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP07_16_2026_000512A.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP07_16_2026_000512A.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP07_16_2026_000512A.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":193980,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=193980","url_meta":{"origin":194159,"position":3},"title":"3rd ODI at Lord’s could be Rohit’s farewell as selectors prepare to look ahead","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The third ODI at Lord's could be Rohit Sharma's final international appearance, with selectors keen to begin India's transition by backing Yashasvi Jaiswal ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. 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While both veterans remain key to India's hopes after disappointing T20I series defeats to Ireland and England, they are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783997861_photo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783997861_photo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783997861_photo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783997861_photo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783997861_photo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgnRh4-OvB","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194159","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=194159"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194159\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/194160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=194159"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=194159"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=194159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}