India and England are all set to square off in a three-match ODI series, starting on Thursday (February 6) at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur.

On the eve of the first ODI, India skipper Rohit Sharma addressed a press conference, where he was left annoyed with questions on his current form and his future after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

“What kind of a question is that? This is a different format, a different time. As usual, as cricketers, we know there will be ups and downs and I have faced a lot in my career, so this is nothing new to me. We know every day is a fresh day, every series is a fresh series,” Rohit said in the pre-match presser.

“I am looking forward to the challenge, not looking at what has happened in the past. Clearly you don’t, so obviously for me also there is no reason to look back too much. A lot of good things have happened as well. It’s important that I focus on what is coming up and what lies ahead for me. It is as simple as that. Look to try and start the series on a high,” he added.

Struggling for runs in the longest format of the game, Rohit Sharma decided to step aside from the fifth and final BGT Test against Australia in Sydney last month.

Rumours are rife that the Melbourne Test may have been Rohit’s last for India, considering that the 37-year-old is unlikely to be in the scheme of things for India’s next WTC cycle, which begins with the tour of England later this year.

Rohit called time on his T20I career after leading India to the T20 World Cup triumph last year, while many reports are claiming that his ODI career won’t go beyond the upcoming Champions Trophy, slated to be held in Pakistan and UAE from February 19 to March 9.

When enquired about his future, the Indian captain termed the question irrelevant. “How is it relevant that I talk about my future plans sitting here when there are three ODIs and a Champions Trophy coming up. Reports have been going around for a number of years, but I am not here to clarify those reports. For me, these three games and the Champions Trophy are very important, so my focus is on these games. We will see what happens afterwards.”

Rohit also seemed unhappy when asked about any Plan B if all-rounder Hardik Pandya gets injured like he did during the ODI World Cup in 2023.

“Why are we thinking about the negatives? That he will get injured, this will happen, that will happen. In the minds of the selectors, there are things. I can’t say that here. We played the World Cup when they got injured. He got injured in the third or fourth match. After that, we played the whole tournament. Although we lost the final, we played good cricket till the final. So now, I won’t think about what will happen if we get injured.

“You are playing good cricket now. So we will hope that you keep playing good cricket and nothing happens,” he said.

Mohammad Shami has been added to the Indian ODI squad despite ordinary domestic returns, but Rohit refused to read too much into it.

“He has not played cricket for a year and a half. Don’t be quick to judge players. The boy has been playing cricket for the last 10-12 years and performed for the team. He bowled so well in the (ODI) World Cup. If he doesn’t get the results in some domestic matches as expected, it doesn’t make him a bad bowler,” Rohit remarked.

“He has bowled so much, taken so many wickets and won many games, so think about it. We just see what has happened now, but don’t see what has happened in the past. We have a short-term memory. He single-handedly won us matches in the World Cup, and took a lot of five-wicket hauls."