TimesofIndia.com in Cardiff: Rohit Sharma has scored only 37 runs in two ODIs against England in Birmingham and Cardiff. A 21-ball 11 at Edgbaston was followed by a 47-ball 26 at Sophia Gardens here on Thursday. For someone who shot at the top of the order, he has been a wicket-taker and a dream bowler thanks to his heavy workload. Across the two innings, he managed two boundaries and a six at a rate of 54.41. Where is ‘Hitman’?Of the 21 balls he faced at Edgbaston, 14 were dots, or 66.67 per cent. Move to the second ODI and the pattern remained the same. Of the 47 balls, 28 were dots, or about 60 percent. Look closer and the small form of the innings becomes clear.The second ball at Edgbaston, the 39-year-old was quick to get his ball out on the path to deliver Jofra Archer. You took the bat and flew to the landing. Two balls later, Archer left Rohit with a choice of whether to play or leave, and that decision led to an inside edge that nearly lifted the stumps. In Archer’s next over, Rohit pushed forward but was beaten on the outside edge. The next ball hit him again, this time on the inside edge. One ball later, the right-hander was cut down the middle. Josh Tongue, too, baffled Rohit with his 140-plus kmph runs.
India’s Rohit Sharma walks off the field after being caught by England’s Jos Buttler during the second ODI between England and India at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, Wales, Thursday July 16, 2026. (AP | PTI)
Although Nataraj’s shot was seen as a boundary, the clarity expected from Rohit and defining “Mumbai cha Raja” was still missing.Go to Cardiff on Thursday.In Archer’s first over, Rohit was bowled on the inside edge after delivering on the front foot. In the sixth over, Saqib Mahmood strayed onto Rohit’s pads, but his bread-and-butter shot failed. In the 12th over, Gus Atkinson hit a small ball and Rohit, one of the best players in the team, missed completely. Two overs later, Rohit bowled another short ball which, luckily, landed well between long leg and the back leg.Finally, this dismissal summed up Rohit’s recent form. With Will Jacks at bat, Rohit went down looking to sweep. Instead, he lifted the ball, which went straight to bowler Jos Buttler.
India’s Rohit Sharma walks off the field after being caught by England’s Jos Buttler during the second ODI between England and India at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, Wales, Thursday July 16, 2026. (AP | PTI)
It’s not just these two games. The former Indian captain looked uncomfortable even in the net. Before the start of the match, they chose to meet the sidearm experts in the second round of the net and had to exchange after struggling to determine the timing. After that, he went forward with an open path, with a field that spread out like the shape of a match.On the evening of the first ODI, he arrived later than the other top batsmen and also worked with the bowlers to prepare the lineup.In three ODIs against Afghanistan, Rohit scored 16, 48 and 79, scoring 143 runs at an average of 47.66 and a strike rate of 115.32. In the injury-hit IPL 2026, the right-hander managed just 283 runs from nine matches at an average of 35.38 and a strike rate of 157.22.
Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma.
With Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting in the wings despite his batting, Rohit’s lack of form is a worrying sign for India’s prospects for the 2027 ODI World Cup. In fact, he is India’s highest run-scorer since the last ODI World Cup and after a break from T20Is. But it is also true that, based on form, he trails skipper Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli in runs scored since the start of last year and this year.Going by body language, Rohit doesn’t inspire much confidence at the moment. The right-hander looks calm against the seamers, something that will be crucial in the ODI World Cup in South Africa. He tends to get injured and seems to have no self-doubt. Even in the field, he is not very fast anymore.By the time the ODI World Cup comes around, Rohit will be 40 years old and will be hoping to join the list that includes Chris Gayle, Brad Hogg, Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Tahir as some of the veteran players who will feature in the tournament. But if current form is any indication, he should not be on the road to South Africa.
