The contents of an Indian wardrobe must be hard to read right now. Pictures from London showed the head coach Gautam Gambhir share a laugh with Rohit Sharma at Lord’s on the evening of Sunday’s third ODI against England. However, he could not hide the huge pressure that the main player of the team must have to decide the lineup. The importance of the match goes beyond the other double series. The results could affect the team’s formation and preparation over the next 15 months.The team’s management and selection committee have been ruthless in their decision-making process over the past year, putting the game above the players’ merits and reputations. However uncertainty continues over Rohit’s progress in India’s ODI World Cup campaign in South Africa.Late on Friday, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the 39-year-old “will continue to represent India as long as he is in the scheme of things”. It is clear, however, that selectors and managers want to create Yashasvi Jaiswal as another opener. Another uncertain exit on Sunday could derail Rohit’s hopes of playing in a fourth World Cup.After the England series, India’s next ODI is against West Indies in Trivandrum on Sept 27. Rohit seems to be in poor form against England’s batting and pace. Since moving away from the two forms, he has often found form late in the series, even at home.The official line within Indian cricket is that there is still little concern about Rohit’s form. “It’s a tough job with the new ball in front. We’ve seen that throughout the series. The ball is moving around. So batting in front, it’s not easy. No doubt Rohit will fix it,” said India’s pace coach Morne Morkel at a pre-match press conference on Saturday.
