Former India pacer Varun Aaron believes Rohit Sharma looked far from his fluent best during the second ODI against England in Cardiff but insists the veteran opener is still capable of producing a match-winning innings in the series decider at Lord’s. Rohit managed 26 runs from 47 deliveries as India were bowled out for 233 in the second ODI. England chased down the target with four wickets and 35 balls to spare, courtesy of Joe Root’s unbeaten 99, to level the three-match series 1-1.
Speaking on Star Sports’ Follow the Blues, Aaron admitted Rohit’s innings lacked rhythm but reminded fans that the India opener has bounced back from similar struggles before.
“The fluency was definitely missing. When a player features in only one format for his country, a little bit of scratchiness is natural. We saw something similar during the Australia tour as well, but Rohit responded with a magnificent hundred at the SCG. He has one more opportunity at Lord’s, and you can never write off a player of his class. One big innings is enough to remind everyone why he remains one of the world’s best,” Varun Aaron said.
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Aaron also pointed out that Rohit’s innings stood in contrast to those of Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, both of whom looked far more comfortable despite batting under the same conditions.
“Gill and Kohli looked very fluent on the same surface. Rohit, on the other hand, never really settled. He would also have been thinking about his previous dismissal against Sam Curran, which may have influenced his approach,” Varun Aaron added.
The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru fast bowler highlighted a crucial phase of Rohit’s innings when the pressure steadily built. Sam Curran bowled a maiden over before Will Jacks followed with three consecutive dot balls, leaving Rohit scoreless for nine deliveries. Attempting to break the shackles, the opener tried to sweep Jacks but only managed a top edge that was safely caught by Jos Buttler behind the stumps.
Aaron believes that sequence of dot balls forced Rohit into playing a shot he otherwise executes with confidence. Former India wicketkeeper and selector Saba Karim echoed similar views while analysing Rohit’s dismissal on JioHotstar. According to Karim, the lack of fluency has now been evident in both ODIs against England.
“This is the second straight innings where Rohit hasn’t looked his usual self. It’s understandable to take a few overs to assess the conditions, but after the initial phase, the rhythm should have come. Unfortunately, that never happened,” Saba Karim said. Karim also observed that Rohit’s trademark sweep shot lacked conviction, suggesting the veteran was hesitant in both his footwork and execution.
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“The downswing that normally accompanies Rohit’s sweep wasn’t there. It looked as though he was slightly tentative, and that hesitation reflected in the way he approached his innings,” he explained.
The former selector added that Virat Kohli’s fluent 65 off 66 balls allowed Rohit enough time to settle, making his inability to accelerate even more surprising. Karim believes the growing scrutiny surrounding Rohit’s form may now be affecting his mindset. However, with the series locked at 1-1, the experienced opener has the perfect opportunity to silence his critics in the deciding ODI at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, where India will be hoping their senior batter delivers when it matters most.
