To contradict means to say or do the exact opposite of something else. Yeah, that is exactly what’s happening currently in the Indian team as far as Rohit Sharma’s place is concerned. Ask a neutral or an ordinary cricket fan, and he’d say Rohit’s place in the ODI side is a no-brainer. After all the things he has done, contributing to Indian cricket for almost two decades now, Rohit should be one of the first names on the team sheet. However, that’s not how things work.
The former Indian captain will turn 40 next year. He isn’t in his peak powers. Age has caught up, but kudos to the Hitman; he is still going strong. However, the fiery and aggressive Rohit, the opener we are accustomed to seeing, has been lost somewhere. In the first ODI against England on Tuesday, we saw another scratchy innings by Rohit, which can creep a thought into your mind – is Rohit still the same effective opener in ODIs?
Clear impact of intangibles in Rohit Sharma’s play
There have been phases in Rohit Sharma’s career as an ODI opener. It all started when MS Dhoni took a punt on him during the 2013 ODI Champions Trophy. The move completely changed Rohit’s career and he became the solid pillar of the team. From there on, he continued to pile immense runs, a period that saw him hammer three double centuries, including a 264 as well. Then, when he was elevated as the captain of the side, Rohit made it clear that he’d be ‘selfless’.
Rohit started to play ultra aggressively so that India would find itself miles ahead within the powerplay overs. From January 2023 until the Champions Trophy 2025, Rohit had a strike rate of 122.56 in the powerplay in ODIs. However, ever since he has lost the captaincy, Rohit’s numbers have fallen off in terms of quickness. From October 2025 onwards, his powerplay SR has dropped to 86.12.
October 2025 was the time when he returned to ODI cricket after 10 months but the difference was that he wasn’t the captain. Rohit has been playing just as a batter, who needs to perform in order to silence his critics. Moreover, the rise of Yashasvi Jaiswal may be back on his mind as well. Moreover, you tend to lose a bit of your sharpness when you represent your country for over 19 years. All these intangibles have resulted in Rohit being much slower than usual.
Contradiction: Is Rohit given a free hand?
However, now the interesting bit is that there are reports incoming that Rohit has been given a free hand by the head coach Gautam Gambhir. As reported by SportsTak, Gambhir and the management have assured Rohit space and a bit of time to play. While the outsiders could say that the pressure of proving time and again has added pressure on Rohit, the reports suggest otherwise.
“Rohit has done a lot for this team and the country in white-ball cricket. The coach wants him to play the way he has played throughout his career and express himself freely,” a source told SportsTak recently. “Nobody knows what the future holds. The focus right now is on the present. The team management wants Rohit to have complete peace of mind so that he can give his best whenever he plays.”
The source added that fans shouldn’t overanalyse every innings and let Rohit be himself. Well, while Gambhir has reportedly given Rohit a free hand, it isn’t something that is translating to the scores. Rohit, who used to bully opposition with some incredible strokeplay, ranks seventh in terms of highest SR by Indians since October 2025 in ODIs. Rohit has operated at 94.94, where all the likes of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Jaiswal have over 100.
“The way Rohit has been batting under pressure, it seems clear that he needs a bit of time and mental space rather than constant scrutiny. Players of his calibre often deliver their best when they are free from external pressure and allowed to trust their natural instincts.“
“Instead of overanalysing every innings, it is important to back someone who has consistently delivered for India over the years. A relaxed and confident Rohit is capable of changing games on his own, and sometimes faith and patience are just as important as technical adjustments.”
In the first ODI at Edgbaston, Rohit made a rusty 21-ball 11. However, the next two ODIs will be crucial for the Mumbai Indians star because after this, Rohit will be seen in Indian colours only in September when the West Indies tour India.
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