Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli - (Source: AFP)
The India-England series is level at 1-1. The Men in Blue got off to a great start with a big win in the 1st ODI, but the hosts bounced back with a four-wicket win in Cardiff. The caravan now moves to Lord’s, where attention will be on Rohit Sharma as much as the result.
For the unversed, Rohit Sharma is touted to play his last ODI match for India on July 19 at the Lord’s Cricket Ground. The hitman has been going through a rough patch with the bat and is likely to be forced into retirement by the selectors.
Rohit Sharma To Be Axed After Lord’s ODI
According to an Indian Express report, Rohit Sharma is not in the selectors’ plan for the 2027 ODI World Cup, and the same has been conveyed to him by Ajit Agarkar. Notably, the chief selector personally told the Hitman about his axing, which left the latter angry and disappointed.
Rohit Sharma is going through a rough patch, and the 41-year-old has amassed just 37 runs in 2 ODIs against England.
“Selectors have informed Rohit he is not in their scheme of things post the England tour and they are moving on from him after this series. Though he wanted to continue, especially after working on his fitness. The selectors have left the ball in Sharma’s court to decide his future,” a source told Indian Express.
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Talking about fitness, Rohit Sharma returned to full fitness recently after suffering a hamstring injury in IPL 2026, which forced him to miss the majority of the season.
Rohit Sharma To Script Massive Record In His Potential Last ODI
Ahead of the Lord’s ODI, Rohit Sharma has the chance to bow out in style. Notably, the 41-year-old, alongside Virat Kohli, will become the first Indian pair to play 400 international matches together.
No other Indian has ever achieved it, and Rohit Sharma will script this feat in his potential final ODI alongside Virat Kohli, which is nothing short of poetry in motion.
Notably, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid are next on the list with 391 matches. Overall, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara hold the all-time global record for the most international matches played together as a pair, appearing in an astonishing 550 international games.
Why Is Rohit Sharma Getting Sidelined From ODIs?
At 41, he won’t be getting any younger, and the selectors have rightly raised questions regarding his fitness. Moreover, his ODI record in 2026 is average to say the least.
In eight innings, he has amassed just 241 runs, with an average of just 30, and a strike rate of 88.6. He was outstanding with the bat in 2025, but this year, things have gone downhill as Rohit Sharma could be forced to take ODI retirement.
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