For a team executive who refuses to talk about personal milestones, a 39-year-old Rohit Sharma The knock gets every cricket fan excited. Rohit became the first Indian to score an ODI hundred at Lord’s on Sunday as he chased an incredible 388-run target in the series decider and tried to extend his career beyond this match. Rohit’s 138 off 110 balls is bound to spark a heated debate over his place in India’s ODI World Cup plans. But Indian cricket administrators must not forget that India has lost three of the last four ODI series, in which India trailed by 27 runs on the pitch closest to the Indian ground. head coach Gautam Gambhir Will board the flight from London having won just one game on the white-ball tour, which also included a T20I whitewash at the hands of Ireland. Shubman Gill has not won a series since taking over the captaincy from Rohit in October last year. Discussions about India’s preparations for next year’s World Cup mainly revolve around No. 1 Rohit. As he has done recently, Rohit fired at the end of the series. As India has been doing of late, their batting has always lagged behind their opponents in high-scoring matches. On top of that, what has now been established is that the bowling attack was always going to be breathless without Jasprit Bumrah, who was out due to injury sustained in the last ODI in Cardiff. The English batsmen shone against a young Indian bowling attack with Ben Duckett scoring 141 off 135, Jacob Bethell 91 off 93, Joe Root unbeaten 74 off 48 and Jos Buttler unbeaten on 13 off 41. Rohit did what he had to tell the team management and selectors that his days playing for India are not over yet. The innings might not have had Rohit’s flow and series of shots, but it screamed of his resilience and mental strength as a champion. Gill and Rohit have had a strange start, with the duo having a run-rate of around 5-5.5 runs per over in the first 20 overs of a chase that requires a run-rate of close to 7.5 runs per over. Rohit did breathe a sigh of relief when India lost Gill for 147 for 77 off 84 balls, with Virat Kohli hitting his stride with the intention of chasing that total. Rohit’s struggle against the long ball at stumps was evident as he waited for the short ball to unleash his classic pull shot. Once he was completely settled, his first boundary came almost around 30 overs. It felt like he was in familiar territory and Kohli was within earshot of him at the other end. The chase really started in the 25th over but ended when a cramped Rohit fell down in the 39th over. Kohli and Rohit turned back time as they put up 103 in about 14 overs, but hopes of a miracle were dashed as Kohli posted 74 in 60 overs.
