Rohit Sharma's ODI future: It's his personal call, says Madan Lal

Amid retirement rumours, Madan Lal urges fans not to jump to conclusions over Rohit Sharma's ODI future, saying it is his personal decision. Speculation intensified after his poor run in the ongoing England series.

Former India cricketer Madan Lal has urged fans and the cricket fraternity not to jump to conclusions over Rohit Sharma's ODI future, saying any decision on the veteran batter's retirement would be entirely personal.

Speculation has been rife that the third and final ODI against England at Lord's on Sunday could be Rohit's last appearance in the 50-over format. However, neither Rohit Sharma nor the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made any official announcement regarding his retirement.

Reacting to the growing buzz, Madan Lal said there was no clarity yet on the matter despite reports of discussions between the selectors and the former India captain. "Rohit Sharma has not said anything out loud so far, but I do not know what conversation he had with selectors. Indian selectors must have spoken to Rohit Sharma. But no such news has come to light. Whatever he decides will be his personal decision. It is all upto him because this is an individual decision," Madan Lal told ANI.

Retirement chatter gathers momentum

If Rohit decides to retire from ODI cricket, it would bring the curtains down on an international career spanning nearly 19 years. The 39-year-old made his ODI debut against Ireland in Belfast on June 23, 2007, and has already stepped away from both the T20I and Test formats.

The retirement chatter has gathered momentum during the ongoing England series, where Rohit has struggled for runs. The veteran opener has managed scores of 11 and 26 in the first two ODIs and has scored 241 runs in eight matches this year at an average of 30.12, with a highest score of 79.

Selectors look to the future

According to reports, India's selectors informed Rohit before the England series that he was no longer in their plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup, with the team management keen to groom younger opening batters ahead of the tournament in Africa. The reports further stated that the selectors have left the final decision to Rohit, who has not yet conveyed his plans to the BCCI, team management or selectors.

Rumours intensified after Rohit's 26-run knock in the second ODI at Cardiff, following another disappointing outing in the series opener at Edgbaston, where he scored 11. Despite the scrutiny surrounding the veteran batter, India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak dismissed suggestions that Rohit was under pressure and expressed confidence that he could produce a significantly better performance in the series decider at Lord's.

The discussions surrounding Rohit's future are understood to have begun during IPL 2026, with head coach Gautam Gambhir also involved in the deliberations. Earlier this year, Rohit became the oldest male cricketer to represent India in ODIs, overtaking Mohinder Amarnath's record during the Dharamsala ODI against Afghanistan. (ANI)

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