Rohit Sharma delivered a vintage masterclass at Lord’s, producing one of the finest innings of his ODI career in what could potentially be his final international appearance on English soil. Amid growing speculation surrounding his retirement, the former India captain silenced the rumours with a breathtaking 138 off 110 balls against England in the third and final ODI, reaffirming his class on one of cricket’s biggest stages. The experienced opener walked in under immense pressure, with reports suggesting his ODI future was under scrutiny ahead of next year’s World Cup.
England had earlier posted a formidable 387/3 after Ben Duckett starred with a brilliant 141, while Jacob Bethell and Joe Root chipped in with fluent half-centuries. India began the chase confidently, thanks to a commanding 147-run opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and captain Shubman Gill. Gill contributed a composed 77, while Virat Kohli added an elegant 74 to keep the visitors in contention.
Despite the top-order brilliance, India lost momentum during the closing stages of the chase and eventually finished on 360/7, falling 27 runs short as England secured the three-match ODI series 2-1. Speaking after the match, Rohit admitted he was disappointed with the outcome despite India’s fighting performance. He felt the team had played quality cricket throughout the series but failed to capitalize on key moments in the two defeats.
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“I was a little disappointed with the result because I thought we were playing really good cricket. We started really well in Birmingham. We fell a little short at Cardiff with the bat, and here again, we had a massive target to chase. We tried everything we could but ended up falling 20-25 runs short,” Rohit Sharma said in a video shared by the BCCI.
The veteran batter also defended India’s inexperienced bowling unit, urging fans to remain patient as the young attack continues to develop in the 50-over format.
“When it comes to bowling, you’ve got to understand these guys haven’t played a lot of ODI cricket. You have to give them some time. Hopefully, we can learn from this game and make sure we improve when we face similar situations in the future,” he added.
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Apart from his match-defining innings, Rohit also etched his name into the record books. The 39-year-old became the first Indian batter to score an ODI century at Lord’s, surpassing Sourav Ganguly’s previous highest score by an Indian at the venue. It was also his 34th ODI hundred and another reminder of why he remains one of the greatest white-ball batters of the modern era.
Reflecting on his success in England, Rohit said he relishes the challenge of playing in conditions that test every aspect of a batter’s technique. “I love playing in England. The atmosphere, the grounds and the pitches always challenge you. As a cricketer, that’s exactly what you want. You want to test yourself against the best conditions, and I really enjoyed my time in the middle,” Rohit said.
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The innings also strengthened Rohit’s incredible record in England. He now has 1,603 ODI runs in the country at an outstanding average of 64.12, the highest tally by an overseas batter in England. With eight ODI centuries on English soil, he is now level with former England opener Marcus Trescothick for the most hundreds recorded in the country. Although India ended the series on the losing side, Rohit Sharma’s historic century ensured his visit to Lord’s will be remembered as another landmark chapter in an extraordinary international career.
