Rohit Sharma’s historic century in the third ODI against England at Lord’s has become one of the biggest talking points in cricket, but an equally fascinating story has emerged about the bat he used during the record-breaking knock. The veteran opener revealed his class on the grand stage with a willow gifted to him by Mumbai teammate Shardul Thakur.

Chasing a challenging target of 388, Rohit produced a sensational innings of 138 off 110 deliveries, smashing 17 fours and five sixes. Although India fell 27 runs short as England clinched the three-match ODI series 2-1, Rohit’s innings entered the record books as he became the first Indian batter to score an ODI century at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The bat that powered Rohit’s memorable innings belonged to Shardul Thakur, who revealed that the Indian skipper had personally asked for a couple of bats after being impressed with the quality of the willow supplied to him by SS Bats.

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Speaking to The Indian Express, Shardul Thakur said, “I am signed with SS Bats and Jatin Sareen has been very kind to send me some excellent pieces of willow. Rohit once requested me to give him a couple of bats since he loved them. We all love him, and he’s given us so many joyful moments in cricket that denying him the bat was never an option. I’m delighted that he scored his historic hundred at Lord’s using one of my bats.”

Thakur also confirmed the story during his commentary stint for the match, adding a light-hearted remark that quickly caught fans’ attention. “Yes, that is my bat. Jokingly, I can say I have given India a great start while sitting inside the commentary box,” he quipped.

Rohit arrived at Lord’s under immense pressure after scores of just 11 and 26 in the first two ODIs, with retirement speculation dominating headlines. However, the experienced opener answered every question emphatically, reaching his 34th ODI century in just 84 balls and reminding everyone why he remains one of India’s greatest white-ball batters.

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After reaching the milestone, Rohit celebrated with a composed fist pump before embracing Virat Kohli and acknowledging the Indian dressing room and his family watching from the stands.

The story behind the bat made the innings even more memorable. Rohit Sharma and Shardul Thakur have shared a close bond for years, having trained under renowned coach Dinesh Lad at Swami Vivekanand International School before representing Mumbai in domestic cricket and later sharing the dressing room at Mumbai Indians. Their long-standing friendship added an emotional touch to one of the finest knocks of Rohit’s illustrious ODI career.