Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel believes Rohit Sharma still has one memorable innings left in him, even as speculation over the veteran opener’s ODI future continues to dominate headlines. Patel feels that if the upcoming third ODI against England at Lord’s turns out to be Rohit’s final international appearance, the Indian skipper has every chance of signing off with a century.

The debate surrounding Rohit’s future intensified after reports claimed that the BCCI selectors have informed the 39-year-old that he is no longer part of India’s long-term ODI plans beyond the ongoing England series. While there has been no official confirmation from either Rohit or the BCCI, social media has been flooded with discussions suggesting that Sunday’s series decider at Lord’s could mark the end of one of India’s greatest white-ball careers.

Rohit’s recent form has only added to the speculation. The experienced opener has managed scores of 11 and 26 in the first two ODIs against England, struggling to find the fluency that has defined his batting for more than a decade. However, Patel believes writing off a player of Rohit’s calibre would be premature.

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Speaking on JioHotstar’s Match Centre Live, Patel said Rohit’s career has been built on bouncing back strongly after lean patches. According to him, the Mumbai batter has repeatedly answered criticism with match-winning performances, making it entirely possible for him to produce another unforgettable knock at Lord’s.

“If the Lord’s ODI is indeed the last match of his career, Rohit Sharma would want to sign off with a century. He is more than capable of doing that. Throughout his career, whenever he has gone through a few low scores, he has often responded with a brilliant match-winning innings,” Parthiv Patel said.

The former India wicketkeeper also compared Rohit’s batting style with that of Virat Kohli, explaining why the two modern greats have enjoyed success in different ways. Patel noted that while Kohli’s greatest strength has always been consistency across formats, Rohit’s impact comes through his ability to play massive innings that completely change the course of a match.

He pointed out that Rohit may not score heavily in every outing, but when he gets going, he often converts his starts into match-defining knocks and frequently walks away with the Player of the Match award. That unique ability, Patel believes, makes Rohit one of the most dangerous ODI batters of his generation.

Reflecting on the second ODI in Cardiff, Patel observed that Rohit never looked settled at the crease. The uneven bounce and challenging conditions prevented the opener from finding his rhythm, resulting in another disappointing outing. Even so, Patel remains convinced that Rohit still has the quality and experience to silence his critics when it matters most.

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With India and England set to clash in the series decider at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, all eyes will be on Rohit Sharma. Whether or not it proves to be his final ODI appearance, the veteran opener has another opportunity to remind the cricketing world why he remains one of India’s finest white-ball batters and perhaps script one last memorable chapter in an extraordinary international career.