Rohit Sharma returns after getting bowled out in the second ODI
TimesofIndia.com in Cardiff: Rohit Sharma mustered just 37 runs from the two ODIs against England in Birmingham and Cardiff. A 21-ball 11 at Edgbaston was followed by a 47-ball 26 at Sophia Gardens here on Thursday.
For someone who used to bat at the top of the order, he became a wicketkeeper and a dream for bowlers due to his hard-charging approach. Across the two innings, he has managed just two boundaries and a six at a strike rate of 54.41. Where is the “killer”?
Of the 21 balls he faced at Edgbaston, 14 were points, or 66.67 per cent. Go to the second ODI and the pattern remains the same. Of the 47 balls, 28 were points, or nearly 60 percent.
Look closely and the blurred nature of the roles becomes clearer.Second ball at Edgbaston, the 39-year-old was slow in getting his bat out of the way of Jofra Archer’s delivery. He took the bat and flew towards the slip. Two balls later, Archer left Rohit in two minds about whether to bowl or leave, and hesitation led to an inside edge that nearly brought down the stumps. In Archer’s next over, Rohit moved forward but was beaten at the outside edge.
The next ball hit him again, this time on the inside edge.
After one ball, the right hand was cut in half. Josh Tonge, too, put Rohit into chaos with his deliveries at over 140kmph.
India’s Rohit Sharma walks off the field after being caught by England’s Jos Buttler during the second ODI between England and India at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, Wales, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP | PTI)
Although Nataraj’s shot appeared to be a boundary, the fluency that was expected from Rohit and which defined the ‘Mumbai cha raja’ remained missing.He moved to Cardiff on Thursday.In Archer’s first over, Rohit was beaten on the inside edge after prodding with his front foot.
In the sixth over, Saqib Mahmood deflected off Rohit’s pads, but his quick shot failed to reach. In the 12th minute, Jos Atkinson hit a short shot and Rohit, one of the best players in this team, missed it completely. Two overs later, Rohit hit another short ball which, fortunately for him, landed safely between long leg and deep backward square leg.Finally, the chapter summed up how angry Rohit has been lately.
With the Will Jacks coming into the attack, Rohit got down on one knee looking to sweep. Instead, he lofted the ball up, which he easily bowled to wicket-keeper Jos Buttler.
India’s Rohit Sharma walks off the field after being caught by England’s Jos Buttler during the second ODI between England and India at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, Wales, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP | PTI)
It’s not just these two games. The former India captain looked uncomfortable even in the nets. Before the series began, he chose to face sidearm specialists during the second curling session and was forced to switch sides after a point as he struggled to find his timing.
Later, he went one step further with an open-net approach, with the spread of the pitch as a form of match simulation.On the eve of the first ODI, he arrived later than the other top-order batsmen and again worked with the bowlers to prepare for the series.During the three ODIs against Afghanistan, Rohit scored 16, 48 and 79, totaling 143 runs at an average of 47.66 and a strike rate of 115.32. In the injury-hit IPL 2026, the right-hander scored just 283 runs from nine matches at an average of 35.38 and a strike rate of 157.22.
Former India captain Rohit Sharma.
With Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting in the wings despite scoring runs, Rohit’s lack of form is a worrying sign for India’s plans for the ODI World Cup 2027. He is certainly the highest run-scorer for India since the last ODI World Cup and since his retirement from T20Is. But it is also true that, based on his form, he lags behind skipper Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli in the number of runs scored since the start of last year as well as this year.Going by his body language alone, Rohit is not inspiring much confidence at the moment.
The right-hander looks slow against the seamers, something that could be a major factor in the ODI World Cup in South Africa. He is prone to injuries and seems almost unsure of himself. Even on the field, he is no longer the quickest off the mark.By the time the ODI World Cup comes around, Rohit will be 40 years old and will be hoping to join a list that includes Chris Gayle, Brad Hogg, Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Tahir as some of the oldest players to have played in the tournament. But if current form is any indication, he shouldn’t be on that flight to South Africa.