Although Rohit Sharma’s future in ODIs remains uncertain, his early mentor Lalchand Rajput thinks the former India captain is “good enough to play for couple of years” and attributes the current difficulties to the “wear and tear” of two decades of cricket.
After rumors surfaced that head coach Gautam Gambhir and top selector Ajit Agarkar had told the seasoned opener that he was not on the 2027 ODI World Cup roadmap, the argument over Rohit’s position in India’s plans became more heated.
However, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia swiftly refuted the rumors.
“I don’t believe in speculation. Unless it happens, then only we can talk about that. I still feel he is good enough to play for a couple of years,” Rajput, who first watched Rohit as a youngster at the National Cricket Academy (now BCCI Centre of Excellence), told PTI.
“He is fit and has worked hard on his fitness. If you look at him now, he looks leaner. The way he batted in the last game, he showed glimpses of the Hitman. I think he is just one good innings away,” said Rajput, who also served as Indian team’s manager during the triumphant 2007 ICC T20 World Cup campaign.
Rajput declined to engage in the discussion when asked if India should already be looking past Rohit.
“It’s a hypothetical question. Nothing is confirmed. Let’s focus on Rohit because he is batting well, he has worked very hard on his fitness and has come back strongly.
“When the time comes, we can talk about the future. Right now, after putting in so much effort on his fitness, he must have a mindset of playing till 2027. We should wait and watch,” he added.
Why is Rohit struggling in England right now?
“When you play for so many years, naturally your body goes through wear and tear. Every cricketer has injuries. The important thing is how you come back, and Rohit has always come back strongly. Now that he is playing only one format, he is working very hard because he wants to make his mark. I still feel he has the energy and the hunger to do well.”
Rajput added that there has been a slight shift in Rohit’s batting attitude.
“Earlier, as captain, he wanted to set the tone by taking on the bowlers immediately. Now he understands that he has to bat longer. He will still attack the bad balls, but he is trying to build the innings and give the team a strong foundation. I’m sure he will score a hundred soon,” he added.
Rajput said that Rohit and Virat Kohli are still invaluable because of their aura as well as the runs they score.
“These two players have done so much for Indian cricket. They are like two giants in the team. Even opponents respect and fear them. When Rohit and Virat are in the playing XI, the team carries a different level of confidence. Youngsters can learn so much from them because surviving for so many years at the highest level requires not just skill but tremendous mental strength and physical fitness,” he added.
