Former Indian cricketer and commentator Mohammad Kaif has blasted Rohit Sharma amid growing speculation about his future in the international game, insisting that retirement is a personal decision and should not be dictated by public opinion.Rohit recently stopped the opposition decisively by breaking the record at Lord’s in the third ODI against England. His knock of 138 from 110 balls made him the first Indian batsman to score an ODI century at the iconic venue, coming at a time when rumors were rife that Lord’s could be his last international innings before the 2027 ODI World Cup. Rumors of retirement have already been dismissed by the BCCI, and Rohit himself has responded in the best possible way, with the bat.Referring to the controversy surrounding India’s captaincy, Kaif said Rohit will continue to act despite external pressure and has the right to decide when to do his job.“Rohit Sharma’s retirement will be decided by Rohit Sharma himself. He has the right. He has worked hard for India. He has the right to retire at will. 12,000 runs, 34 years – until the time he was captain, he did not allow India to lose. Even today no one could beat India in his captaincy of Who was there. pressure on him, and people are constantly saying, ‘Rohit Sharma, it’s time to retire.‘ Under all those odds, he became the most successful at Lord’s. No other Indian has hit a century in this game, it came from Rohit’s bat,” Kaif said in a video posted on his X account.
Kaif urged the BCCI to support him
Kaif also said that public support from the Indian team management and the BCCI could also boost the veteran opener ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.“Imagine if Shubman Gill, as the captain, publicly says, ‘Rohit bhai, I want you for the World Cup 2027.’ Or if the BCCI makes it clear that Rohit will play for India for as long as he wants and no one will question him. This kind of support can make a big difference,” he added. The former Indian batsman believes that Rohit thrives on responsibility and trust from those around him.“Right now, he is under pressure because everyone is waiting for him to fail. But when he knows that his manager, coach and BCCI will stand firmly behind him, he will climb the Himalayas again in India. I hope people will stop making unnecessary noise and let Rohit Sharma play in peace,” said Kaif.
England defeated India to clinch the ODI series
India lost by 27 runs against England in the third and final ODI, losing the three-match series 2-1 despite a century and a half from their top order. Chasing a daunting target of 388, captain Rohit Sharma led the way with a century, while Shubman Gill chipped in with 77 and Virat Kohli added a fine 74.However, the target was too high because the middle and lower-income countries in India failed to contribute.
