Rohit Sharma managed 11 and 26 runs in two ODIs against England.
Aakash Chopra, former India cricketer, has shone light on how Rohit Sharma has changed his approach to batting, amidst the rumors of his retirement. Chopra’s observation came after the second ODI between England and India in Cardiff on July 16.
India was asked to bat first and only managed 233 runs, thanks to half-centuries by Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer. In response, Joe Root scored 99* and shouldered England’s chase, as they achieved the target with 4 wickets in hand.
The focus was also on Rohit Sharma, who made a scratchy 26 in 47 balls with one six and one four to his name. Aakash Chopra noted that Rohit has adopted a more cautious batting approach lately.
"One thing is that Rohit has realized that he is the father of daddy hundreds, and quantity is required along with quality, and it's required as an opener. He realized that he needs to look fit and that he cannot be a liability on the field. So he came with great fitness, and then he started playing slightly conservatively.
He has changed his playing style. There was a time when he alone used to hit 50 in the Powerplay. If you saw yesterday's match, he got out in the 18th over after scoring 26 runs. We have never seen Rohit playing like that," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Every great career has an end, according to Aakash Chopra, who also said that, given Rohit Sharma's advanced age, it would be time for India to try someone else.
"I think there are two ways to look at it. One is that no matter how beautiful a story is, eventually it has to end. Ultimately, everybody has to say goodbye. Rohit Sharma is 39 years old. He will become 40 next year. The World Cup is one-and-a-half years away. So, he will be more than 40. If the Indian team has to go towards someone else, this is the time," he said.
Chopra also highlighted how Rohit Sharma has struggled in ODIs since the 2025 Champions Trophy, and hence the selectors are compelled to look at younger options like Yashasvi Jaiswal.
"If you see his numbers from the Champions Trophy, you would say he has scored runs. It's been okay. It's not excellent, but it's not like the numbers have been very bad. Maybe this is the time. The selectors might have told him that they are going elsewhere. Maybe Yashasvi Jaiswal's time is about to come. So, this is it. That's one way of looking at it.
Could a little more time have been given? Could you have waited a little longer, as one and a half years are left? Again, you keep getting closer to the D-day, but I am myself saying that one-and-a-half years are left. So, you could have waited a little. However, it was always going to be a tough one," Chopra concluded.
Rohit Sharma will be in action for India in the third ODI at Lord’s in London on Sunday, July 19, and Chopra hoped that if Rohit is really retiring, he bids goodbye with a huge hundred.