{"id":194624,"date":"2026-07-19T02:33:22","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T08:03:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194624"},"modified":"2026-07-19T02:33:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T08:03:22","slug":"lalchand-rajput-backs-rohit-sharma-to-play-till-2027-says-he-is-good-enough-for-a-couple-of-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194624","title":{"rendered":"Lalchand Rajput backs Rohit Sharma to play till 2027, says \u2018he is good enough for a couple of years\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"content-body-71240934\">Uncertainty might still be shrouding Rohit Sharma\u2019s future in ODIs, but his early mentor Lalchand Rajput believes that the former India captain is \u201cgood enough to play for couple of years\u201d, attributing the current struggles to natural \u201cwear and tear\u201d of two decades of cricket.<\/p>\n<p>The debate over Rohit\u2019s place in India\u2019s plans intensified after reports suggested that chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir had informed the veteran opener that he was not in the roadmap for the 2027 ODI World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>The speculation, however, was quickly dispelled by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t believe in speculation. Unless it happens, then only we can talk about that. I still feel he is good enough to play for a couple of years,\u201d Rajput, who first watched Rohit as a youngster at the National Cricket Academy (now BCCI Centre of Excellence), told        <i>PTI<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe is fit and has worked hard on his fitness. If you look at him now, he looks leaner. The way he batted in the last game, he showed glimpses of the Hitman. I think he is just one good innings away,\u201d said Rajput, who also served as the Indian team\u2019s manager during the triumphant 2007 ICC T20 World Cup campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Asked whether India should already be looking beyond Rohit, Rajput refused to indulge in the debate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a hypothetical question. Nothing is confirmed. Let\u2019s focus on Rohit because he is batting well, he has worked very hard on his fitness and has come back strongly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen the time comes, we can talk about the future. Right now, after putting in so much effort on his fitness, he must have a mindset of playing till 2027. We should wait and watch,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>So, what has led to Rohit\u2019s current struggle in England? \u201cWhen you play for so many years, naturally your body goes through wear and tear. Every cricketer has injuries. The important thing is how you come back, and Rohit has always come back strongly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow that he is playing only one format, he is working very hard because he wants to make his mark. I still feel he has the energy and hunger to do well.\u201d Rajput also said Rohit\u2019s batting philosophy has subtly changed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEarlier, as captain, he wanted to set the tone by taking on the bowlers immediately. Now he understands that he has to bat longer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe will still attack the bad balls, but he is trying to build the innings and give the team a strong foundation. I\u2019m sure he will score a hundred soon,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>Rajput felt that Rohit and Virat Kohli remain indispensable, not just for the runs they score but for the aura they carry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese two players have done so much for Indian cricket. They are like two giants in the team. Even opponents respect and fear them.<\/p>\n<p>When Rohit and Virat are in the playing XI, the team carries a different level of confidence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYoungsters can learn so much from them because surviving for so many years at the highest level requires not just skill but tremendous mental strength and physical fitness,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"publish-time\" id=\"end-of-article\">Published on Jul 19, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sportstar.thehindu.com\/cricket\/rohit-sharma-odi-future-lalchand-rajput-2027-world-cup-fitness-bcci\/article71240934.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Uncertainty might still be shrouding Rohit Sharma\u2019s future in ODIs, but his early mentor Lalchand Rajput believes that the former India captain is \u201cgood enough to play for couple of years\u201d, attributing the current struggles to natural \u201cwear and tear\u201d of two decades of cricket. The debate over Rohit\u2019s place in India\u2019s plans intensified after&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":194625,"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-194624","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\/GettyImages-2243136710.jpg","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":194295,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194295","url_meta":{"origin":194624,"position":0},"title":"BCCI rules out Rohit retirement at Lord&#039;s &#8211; Cricbuzz","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"BCCI rules out Rohit retirement at Lord's\u00a0\u00a0CricbuzzBCCI secretary dismisses speculation on Rohit Sharma's ODI future\u00a0\u00a0CricinfoInside The Rohit Sharma, Gambhir, And Agarkar Power Struggle\u00a0\u00a0RediffPressure piles on Rohit as selectors signal ODI transition ahead of 2027 World Cup\u00a0\u00a0Telegraph IndiaRohit Sharma's international future hangs in the balance\u00a0\u00a0espn.in Source link","rel":"","context":"In &quot;National News&quot;","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\/1784333302_there-has-been-widespread-speculation-around-rohit-sharmas-future-as-an-international-cricketer.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784333302_there-has-been-widespread-speculation-around-rohit-sharmas-future-as-an-international-cricketer.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784333302_there-has-been-widespread-speculation-around-rohit-sharmas-future-as-an-international-cricketer.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":194519,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194519","url_meta":{"origin":194624,"position":1},"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. Rohit has endured a series to forget so\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","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\/2026-07-18T045946Z_432938576_RC2RDMAZNXHH_RTRMADP_3_CRICKET-ODI-ENG-IND.JPG?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-07-18T045946Z_432938576_RC2RDMAZNXHH_RTRMADP_3_CRICKET-ODI-ENG-IND.JPG?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-07-18T045946Z_432938576_RC2RDMAZNXHH_RTRMADP_3_CRICKET-ODI-ENG-IND.JPG?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-07-18T045946Z_432938576_RC2RDMAZNXHH_RTRMADP_3_CRICKET-ODI-ENG-IND.JPG?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-07-18T045946Z_432938576_RC2RDMAZNXHH_RTRMADP_3_CRICKET-ODI-ENG-IND.JPG?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":195080,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=195080","url_meta":{"origin":194624,"position":2},"title":"&#8216;Virat Kohli aur Rohit Sharma ko touch nahi kar payenge&#8217;: Ashwin makes bold statement | Cricket News","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (BCCI Photo) NEW DELHI: Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has thrown his support behind Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, saying the two senior batters cannot simply be dropped if they still want to play for India. Ashwin's comments came after Rohit silenced retirement talk with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;National News&quot;","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\/1784606739_photo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784606739_photo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784606739_photo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784606739_photo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784606739_photo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":194086,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194086","url_meta":{"origin":194624,"position":3},"title":"Rohit Sharma retirement speculation: India team management backs former captain","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"India team management has thrown its weight behind struggling opener Rohit \u200bSharma amid speculation back home that Sunday\u2019s \u200cthird one-day international against England at Lord\u2019s \u200bcould be his last. 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 &quot;Sports&quot;","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":194247,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194247","url_meta":{"origin":194624,"position":4},"title":"Lord\u2019s won\u2019t be Rohit Sharma\u2019s last match for India: BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The final ODI against England at Lord\u2019s on Sunday won\u2019t be Rohit Sharma\u2019s last match for India, contrary to speculations, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia told PTI in an exclusive interaction. Speculations were rife that the 39-year-old former India skipper had been told by the selectors that they want to look\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","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\/image20-202026-07-17T235644.558.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image20-202026-07-17T235644.558.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image20-202026-07-17T235644.558.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image20-202026-07-17T235644.558.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image20-202026-07-17T235644.558.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":193980,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=193980","url_meta":{"origin":194624,"position":5},"title":"3rd ODI at Lord&#8217;s could be Rohit&#8217;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. IMAGE: Rohit Sharma was painstakingly slow in making 26 runs in the second One-Day International against England in Cardiff on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;National News&quot;","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\/16ind-rohit-bats.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/16ind-rohit-bats.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/16ind-rohit-bats.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/16ind-rohit-bats.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/16ind-rohit-bats.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgnRh4-OD6","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194624","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=194624"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194624\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/194625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=194624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=194624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=194624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}