India eye series win as Rohit Sharma seeks rhythm

With intense speculation surrounding his ODI future, veteran batter Rohit Sharma faces a crucial test at Lord's. India take on England in the series-deciding third ODI, looking to bounce back from their Cardiff collapse and seal the trophy

London: All eyes of the cricketing world will be trained on Rohit Sharma when the India white-ball great takes the field for the series-deciding third ODI against England here on Sunday with speculation rife on his future.

Amid the intense speculation, the BCCI has asserted that the match will not be Rohit’s last in international cricket but the former India captain surely has a point to prove having struggled in the first two games.

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Vintage Rohit is all about effortlessly executing his front foot pull shots off the pacers and manoeuvring the spinners but the 39-year-old has not been been able to find any fluency thus far in the series, fuelling conversations about lasting till the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.

The two-paced pitch in Cardiff made life tougher for Rohit who consumed as many as nine consecutive dot balls before getting out. A true batting surface at the “Home of Cricket” may just allow Rohit to regain his rhythm for a statement knock in the series decider.

As captain of the side, Rohit had led from the front by playing the high risk role of an enforcer in the powerplay. His fans would want to see that same Rohit turn up on Sunday. The express pace of Jofra Archer would pose the biggest challenge for the veteran opener in the first 10 overs.

Current captain Shubman Gill has looked the part in the batting department and would be itching to get a big hundred after his soft dismissal at Sophia Gardens.

In contrast to Rohit’s struggles, another ageing superstar Virat Kohli continues to boss the ODI format. He was on course for another hundred on Thursday but fell to Archer, triggering a middle order collapse that cost India the game. The team would be wiser from that experience going into the series decider.

Playing in place of an ill KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan succumbed to the short ball alongside a few other batters, showing that the visitors remain uncomfortable against rising deliveries.

Shreyas Iyer has played well in the middle order and the standout aspect of his batting has been his confident play against Adil Rashid and Co.

On the bowling front, the team may finally give Kuldeep Yadav an opportunity following a hamstring injury to Washington Sundar.

The team management wants batting till number eight but in the light of Washington’s on-field injury at Cardiff, it might be forced to change their plans.

However, the selectors drafted in left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey as a replacement for Washington.

In the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel has excelled in the role of a spin all-rounder.

The Indian bowlers will have to find a way to stop Joe Root, who like Kohli keeps piling on the runs.

Barring Root, England batters have not done much to write home about and would be looking to change that on Sunday.

England played an extra seamer in place of Liam Dawson in the second ODI. He may come back to the side if conditions demand.