Rohit Sharma played one of the most memorable ODI knocks of his career to keep India in the hunt during the third and final ODI against England at Lord’s on Sunday, July 19. While the former India captain stole the spotlight with a superb century, another detail from his innings quickly became a talking point on social media.

During his brilliant knock, a few sharp-eyed fans noticed that Rohit was not using one of his usual bats. Instead, the India opener was seen wielding a bat with the name of his Mumbai teammate, Shardul Thakur, engraved near the bottom. The unusual sight added an extra layer of intrigue to an already special performance.

The moment soon went viral as Rohit completed a classy hundred at the iconic venue. He had gone through a quiet run before the series decider, failing to cross fifty in his previous eight ODI innings. But when India needed a big response in a stiff chase of 388, the veteran batter delivered emphatically.

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Rohit took the attack to England’s bowlers and reached his century in just 84 balls. His innings not only gave India hope in the massive chase but also helped him create several records at the Home of Cricket. It was a statement knock from a batter who had been under pressure amid growing retirement speculation.

Had to be Lord’s weapon at Lord’s ✌️😂 pic.twitter.com/gIxLKfDeJF

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) July 19, 2026

The 39-year-old became the first Indian to score an ODI century at Lord’s, going past Sourav Ganguly’s previous best of 90 at the venue. With this effort, he also brought up his 34th ODI hundred, further strengthening his status as one of the modern greats in the format.

Rohit’s eighth ODI century in England is now the most by any visiting batter in a single country. Overall, only Joe Root has more ODI hundreds in England, while Marcus Trescothick also has eight.

WATCH – Rohit Sharma Silences Retirement Talk With Stunning Century At Lord’s

He also shared a crucial 147-run opening stand with Shubman Gill, the second-highest opening partnership by India at Lord’s in ODIs. His 84-ball ton is now the third-fastest ODI century at the ground, behind only Jos Buttler and Clive Lloyd. In a match filled with pressure and speculation, Rohit answered in the best way possible: with class, calmness and authority.