BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia dismissed Rohit Sharma’s ODI retirement rumours after the review meeting, backing his recent form and 138-run century. His remarks have sparked mixed reactions over Rohit’s place in India’s 2027 World Cup plans.
The BCCI secretary, Devajit Saikia, cleared the air on Rohit Sharma’s ODI future following the review meeting at the board’s headquarters in Mumbai on Thursday, September 3. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) held a review meeting, focused partly on the ODI roadmap towards the 2027 World Cup, with Rohit’s future among the key talking points.
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir, ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill, and T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer were among those who attended the crucial meeting, which also featured BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and Centre of Excellence (CoE) head VVS Laxman. The chief selector Ajit Agarkar reportedly didn’t attend the meeting either virtually or in person.
The review meeting reportedly discussed India’s recent performances, including the team’s disappointing results on overseas tours, injury management, and the roadmap for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
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Saikia Cleared the Air on Rohit’s Future
Ahead of the BCCI review meeting, reports emerged that former India captain Rohit Sharma ‘agreed’ to retire following the Lord’s ODI after he was ‘angry’ upon being informed that the selection committee had decided to move on from him. According to a report by PTI, the message was conveyed to Rohit by a member of the selection committee and not Ajit Agarkar.
Following the BCCI review meeting, the BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia addressed the reporters outside the BCCI headquarters, firmly putting those retirement rumors to rest. He offered an impassioned defense of the star opener's current form, stating that his stellar displays on the pitch speak for themselves and leave no room for doubt about his place in the squad.
“He is playing superbly in all matches. What more do you want? In the last match, he scored 130-140 runs. So why is there speculation? I do not want to give fodder to the speculators.” Saikia said.
In the ODI series against England in July this year. Rohit Sharma’s form came under scrutiny after he registered scores of 11 and 26 in the first two outings before silencing the critics with a brilliant knock of 138 off 110 balls in the third ODI at Lord’s.
It was speculated that Lord’s outing was his final appearance in international cricket, but that stunning century has completely rewritten the script, ensuring the veteran opener remains a vital pillar as India builds toward future global glory.
Rohit Sharma Fans Rejoice After Saikia’s Strong Defence
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia’s defence of Rohit Sharma’s ODI future has sparked a wave of reactions on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts divided over whether the veteran batter should feature in India’s plans for the 2027 World Cup.
Taking to their X handles, many, particularly Rohit Sharma fans, welcomed Saikia’s comments and expressed their desire to see the veteran opener play at the 2027 World Cup. One fan said Rohit’s current form was ‘absolute gold ', while another insisted that his experience could be crucial during a long World Cup campaign.
However, others remained sceptical about the former India captain’s prospects of making the 2027 ODI World Cup, with one user arguing that ‘one good innings in 10 matches’ does not mean the veteran batter is still world-class, while some questioned why India should retain a player who will be 40 during the tournament when the country has plenty of young batting talent waiting in the wings.
Rohit Sharma will return to action for the ODI series against West Indies at home, with the opening match taking place at Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuran on September 27.
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