Rohit Sharma has been making headlines, mostly because it seems like every time he is close to being dropped, it ends up being the fastest way to look bad. But as India prepares to face England in the final ODI at Lord’s, reports that the veteran opener is set to be dropped from the 2027 ODI World Cup squad have once again raised questions about his future in the team.

According to the report, the Indian team management has already informed Rohit Sharma that they are looking to move on from him and focus on building a team around young batters like Yashasvi Jaiswal for the next World Cup in South Africa.

It appears that the writing is on the wall for Sharma, who has been a mainstay in the Indian batting line-up for years.

While it is always important to have a succession plan in place, one has to wonder if it is too early to be moving on from Sharma.

England Has Been a Tough Examination for Everyone, Not Just Rohit Sharma

There is no doubt that Rohit Sharma has been unfortunate in his ODI series in England.

He managed to score only 26 runs in Cardiff from 47 balls. As his critics want him gone, let us see whether there is a reason to believe that.

The pitches in the UK have been testing for everyone. Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Ishan Kishan have had their troubles in different games. Even the home team, England, has struggled to cope with the new ball bowlers at times.

The two best English openers, Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell, have faced their share of challenges as well.

It has been an exception, not the rule, as far as Shubman Gill is concerned.

If the tour is going to be a pointer to the upcoming World Cup 2027 in South Africa, then we have to accept that Rohit Sharma has been India’s best opener in his recent overseas assignment. After all, it has not been the first time he has batted in foreign conditions.

Has Rohit Lost His Identity as an ODI Batter?

Perhaps, it is not so much the production of runs, but rather the way Rohit has batted that has been rather concerning.

India’s ODI blueprint for the past few years has revolved around Rohit Sharma’s aggressive approach at the top of the order.

He has cleared the deck and allowed the lower order to flourish with big scores on offer.

However, in the recent past, he has looked rather timid at the crease. Be it the management’s doing or personally, he has chosen to prolong his career this way; it has not done him any favors. There has been a distinct lack of the free-flowing stroke-making that we have come to associate with the right-handed opener.

It has, in fact, turned out to be rather detrimental as neither he nor the team has benefited from this change in approach.

The home series against West Indies, which is due to commence shortly, will be the perfect opportunity for Rohit to recapture some of the old magic.

Instead of moving on, it would be better for India if they allowed the veteran to get one last shot at his special brand of ODI batting, which has so far seen him score some truly special centuries.

After all, he has been the second-best performer in terms of ODI run production all throughout the last twelve months. He has even managed to amass a century in Australia and a couple of half-centuries in the same campaign.

Even in 2026, the average of more than 30 that he has managed in the format cannot be categorized as being anywhere near his best. At the same time, it would be wrong to say that it has been an altogether poor campaign as well. The man has had some genuinely special knocks, especially if one looks at the way he has faced Rashid Khan in his previous knock.

He even managed to accelerate in the final ODI against Afghanistan after being run out in the previous match, scoring 79 off just 39 deliveries. It must also be noted that the pitch was not entirely helpful to the batters. It is also possible to argue that his 48 off 39 had been a knock that could have turned out to be bigger. However, in both these knocks, he displayed a touch of his old self.

So, while it is true that his campaign against England does not look very good in hindsight, it would be better to view it in the context of the last twelve months, since his ODI career as a whole cannot be said to be in trouble.

Transition Is Necessary-But Timing Matters

Every great Indian side sooner or later has needed to transition.
With the rise of Yashasvi Jaiswal and the steady development of Shubman Gill, the writing seems to be on the wall that it is indeed a time for new voices to be heard and new leaders to step up, so the selectors must look to the future. However, it is also important that the transition takes place in due time.

Rohit Sharma may not have a long future in the ODI game for India, but the captain has probably earned his place as a legendary batter in Indian cricket, and he might still be given enough time to put up a good show in one final overseas tour. In the future, if the selectors really want to shift further, they must be very sure that Sharma has indeed surpassed his peers in Indian batting before cutting him off at the knees, because a few good innings in England did not come easily for him. It is a gamble to write off Rohit Sharma at this point in time.