The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia has dismissed speculation surrounding Rohit Sharma’s ODI future, stating that Sunday’s third and final ODI against England at Lord’s will not be the veteran opener’s last appearance for India.
The retirement rumours gained momentum during the second ODI after reports claimed that chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir had informed the 39-year-old that he was no longer part of India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup. According to the reports, the team management is looking to invest in younger opening options, with Yashasvi Jaiswal emerging as a potential long-term successor alongside captain Shubman Gill.
The speculation also suggested that Rohit could announce his retirement from ODI cricket, much like he did from Test cricket in 2025. However, other reports indicated that the Indian skipper was keen to continue and had held discussions with BCCI officials regarding his future.
Putting the rumours to rest, Saikia made it clear that no such decision has been taken.
“There are a lot of speculations going on in the media about Rohit Sharma’s future. I want to firmly assert that there has been no such discussion that Rohit will be playing his last match at Lord’s on Sunday. Rohit is a regular member of the Indian ODI team, and he will continue to represent the country as long as he is in the scheme of things. In other words, the Lord’s ODI won’t be his last match,” Saikia told PTI.
Rohit has endured a difficult run in ODI cricket in 2026, managing just one half-century in eight matches while also dealing with injury concerns. Despite his recent struggles, the opener has been one of India’s most consistent ODI batters over the past few years and captained the team to the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy titles.
While the selectors are believed to be planning for the future, Saikia’s statement suggests that no final decision has been made regarding Rohit’s ODI career. Although the selection committee and team management play a key role in squad planning, the BCCI also has significant influence in major decisions concerning senior players.
For now, Rohit appears set to continue as part of India’s ODI setup, with Sunday’s series decider at Lord’s unlikely to mark the end of his international career.
