New Delhi: Amid speculation that the series-deciding third and final ODI against England would be Rohit Sharma's last international game, former India player Parthiv Patel has said that he expects the ex-captain to roar back to form with a defining hundred that would silence critics.
Rohit, it is learnt, has been told by the national selectors that he is not in the scheme of things for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. This has given rise to the possibility of Rohit either announcing retirement or being dropped for good after Sunday's game.
He has already retired from Tests and T20 Internationals.
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"If the Lord's ODI is indeed the last match of his career, Rohit Sharma would want to sign off with a century. He is more than capable of doing that. We've seen it throughout his career - after two or three low scores, he often bounces back with a match-winning knock in the very next innings," Patel told 'JioStar'.
"The difference between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma has always been consistency. Rohit may not score heavily in every game, but when he does, he plays a substantial innings and often ends up winning the Player of the Match award. He didn't look comfortable in this game," he added referring to the lost second ODI in which Rohit scored a 47-ball 26.
Patel acknowledged that Rohit was troubled by the variable bounce in Cardiff and never found his rhythm.
"But this is another opportunity for him to silence his critics. It has happened many times before, and he has always responded with the bat. So, if the Lord's ODI is indeed his final match, I hope he plays an innings that people remember for a long time," the former wicketkeeper-batter said.
Former India captain Anil Kumble, while steering clear of the speculation surrounding the senior batter, spoke about how similar his approach is to England star Joe Root and Virat Kohli.
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"What makes Root, Kohli, and Rohit so successful is that their run-scoring looks effortless. They don't premeditate. They react to the ball. They play low-risk, high-reward cricket rather than high-risk, high-reward cricket. When you have that kind of class, grace, and mindset, it makes life easier for the entire team," he said.
