Ashwin backs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli amidst retirement discussions
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced strong support for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, stating that the two senior batters should not be dropped if they wish to continue playing for India. Ashwin’s comments follow a century by Rohit in the third and final ODI against England at Lord’s, which helped to quiet speculation about his future.
Despite India losing the match by 27 runs and the series 2-1, Rohit’s innings of 138 runs highlighted his continued importance to the team. Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel ‘Ash ki Baat’, emphasised that it would be difficult to remove players of their calibre due to their past achievements and fan following.
Rohit’s Performance Amidst Scrutiny
Rohit’s position in the ODI squad had been under scrutiny after reports suggested that the BCCI selection committee was considering moving on from him for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Prior to his century at Lord’s, Rohit had scored 11 and 26 in the first two ODIs against England.
In the series decider, chasing a target of 388, Rohit scored 138 runs off 110 balls, including 17 fours and five sixes. His performance kept India in contention until the final stages of the match. Following the game, Rohit indicated in an interview with BCCI.tv that external criticism has always been a part of his career and his focus remains on his performance on the field.
Reports had suggested that the BCCI‘s senior selection committee had communicated a decision to ‘move on’ from Rohit after the ODI series against England, with an eye on the 2027 World Cup. This news reportedly caused a significant reaction among fans, leading to a denial from BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, who stated there were no plans to force Rohit into retirement.
Despite the denial, there appeared to be an attempt to pressure Rohit, as selectors looked to refresh the ODI side, the only format he has been actively playing, by introducing younger players. Rohit, at 39 years old, has not given any indication of planning to retire from the 50-overs format before next year’s World Cup, aiming instead to conclude his career with a major trophy.
Career Highlights and Future Aspirations
Rohit’s career saw a significant turning point with his switch to opening the batting in ODIs in 2013. Since then, he has accumulated 9,779 runs, maintaining an average of 55.24 and a strike rate of 96.47, with 31 centuries and 50 fifties. He has also recorded multiple double centuries in ODIs, including 264 runs against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens.
In World Cups, Rohit has been a prominent performer. In the 2015 ODI World Cup, he scored 330 runs in eight games, with one century and two fifties. During the 2019 World Cup in England, he scored 648 runs in nine matches, including a record five centuries in a single edition of the tournament.
Rohit took over the captaincy full-time in 2021 after Virat Kohli stepped down as India T20I captain. He led India in the 2023 World Cup at home, where the team achieved 10 consecutive victories before a loss to Australia in the final. He ended that tournament with 597 runs, the highest by a captain in a single edition of the World Cup.
His form saw a dip in early 2026, particularly in a series against New Zealand in January and against Afghanistan in June, before his century at Lord’s. Rohit’s ambition to win the ODI World Cup has been a long-standing goal, intensified by his omission from the 2011 World Cup squad.
His childhood coach, Dinesh Lad, played a role in guiding his career after the 2011 setback. Rohit himself reflected in 2023 on the changes he made to his game and attitude between 2014-2015 to improve his performance. He led India to the ICC Champions Trophy title in 2025.
Rohit’s record as ODI skipper includes leading India to victory in 42 out of 56 games, resulting in a victory percentage of 75.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Priya Menon 