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Indian captain Rohit Sharma is facing increasing scrutiny after yet another failure with the bat in the first ODI against England in Nagpur on Thursday. The 36-year-old managed to score just 2 runs off 7 balls, continuing his rough patch in international cricket.
Opening alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit played out five dot balls before attempting a flick off Saqib Mahmood. However, the ball hit the toe-end of his bat and ballooned in the air, resulting in an easy catch for Liam Livingstone at mid-on.
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Rohit Sharma’s Struggles Continue
Rohit’s recent form has been a cause for concern, with just 166 runs in his last 16 innings across formats at a miserable average of 10.37. His last 16 scores read:
🔹 6, 5, 23, 8, 2, 52, 0, 8, 18, 11, 3, 6, 10, 3, 9, 2
His dismissals have followed a similar pattern, with bowlers targeting his front-foot play—something that troubled him even in the Ranji Trophy against Jammu & Kashmir and in Tests against Australia and New Zealand.
Social Media Furore Over Rohit’s Form
Rohit Sharma’s latest failure has sparked outrage on social media, with many fans and critics calling for his retirement from international cricket. Several users pointed out that his strike rate and confidence have taken a hit, making it difficult for him to justify his place at the top of the order.
India’s Comfortable Chase Despite Rohit’s Failure
Despite the captain’s early exit, India comfortably chased down England’s target of 248, thanks to key contributions from:
✔ Shubman Gill (67)
✔ Shreyas Iyer (74)
✔ *Axar Patel (54)
India’s middle order ensured there were no hiccups, with Axar Patel promoted ahead of Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul—a move that paid off.
Shubman Gill, playing at No.3 in Virat Kohli’s absence, forged two key partnerships:
🔹 94-run stand with Shreyas Iyer (3rd wicket)
🔹 108-run stand with Axar Patel (4th wicket)
What’s Next for Rohit Sharma?
With India leading the series 1-0, all eyes will be on Rohit Sharma in the next ODI to see if he can turn things around. However, if his struggles continue, the calls for his retirement could grow even louder.
