The last few weeks have not really gone Rohit Sharma’s way, and the retirement talks around him have created strong speculation. Fans at Lord’s came with a question in mind: is this the last time they are watching Rohit Sharma wearing the blues? Sharma, amid all the talks, remained firm on his game, chasing a humongous 388 runs smashes first ODI century as an Indian at Lord’s.

The one and only player in the world with three double centuries in the ODI has absorbed all the pressure and played a responsible innings of 138 runs before being bowled out on the delivery of Jacob Betthel.

It is a fresh day in the Lord’s, where England chose to bat first. India came into the decider without Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar, who were unavailable for selection due to injuries and faced a tough challenge from England openers, especially Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell. The English openers formed a 192-run partnership. Batting brilliance from the top three and a special cameo by Jos Buttler gave England an edge in the decider.

Rohit Sharma answered critics with style

Rohit Sharma answered the retirement rumours emphatically, becoming the first Indian batter to score an ODI century at Lord’s. The former India captain produced a commanding knock in the series-decider against England, silencing speculation over his future with a landmark innings.

Rohit Sharma smashed five sixes during his innings.
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Rohit’s century came amid widespread reports linking the match to a possible international retirement, although the BCCI had dismissed those claims before the game. Came an opener, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill formed a 147-run partnership. After that, Sharma built up the momentum with Virat Kohli, forming an important 113-run partnership in 86 balls, which was the 21st 100+ run partnership between the modern-day greats.

Will Rohit Sharma retire after the match?

Though the buzz around the match says something else, BCCI secretary Devjit Saikia in an interview confirmed this will not be the last match of Rohit Sharma in India colours, saying, “There are a lot of speculations going on in the media about Rohit Sharma’s future. I want to firmly assert that there has been no such discussion that Rohit will be playing his last match at Lord’s on Sunday,” Saikia told PTI. “Rohit is a regular member of the Indian ODI team and he will continue to represent the country as long as he is in the scheme of things. In other words, Lord’s ODI won’t be his last match.”

India and England ODI matches reignited the interest in the format among the fans.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest combined total by opening pairs in an ODI?

A: The record is 447 runs, set by England and India during the third ODI at Lord’s in 2026.

Q: Where does Rohit Sharma’s Lord’s century rank among the fastest ODI hundreds at the venue?

A: Rohit Sharma’s 84-ball century against England in 2026 is the third-fastest ODI hundred at Lord’s, behind Jos Buttler (61 balls, 2014) and Clive Lloyd (82 balls, 1975).