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Cricket Players‘You take the call, drop me’: Ex-India star feels Rohit Sharma dared Ajit Agarkar after Lord’s heroics
Rohit Sharma's Lord's century has put India's selectors under pressure, forcing them to risk the backlash of dropping him to end his ODI career before 2027.
Mohammed Kaif has questioned the uncertainty surrounding Rohit Sharma’s ODI future, arguing that the veteran batter has decided not to retire voluntarily and will instead leave the selectors to take responsibility for dropping him. Rohit’s future became the biggest talking point of India’s ODI series against England after a report claimed that the senior selection committee had informed him that he was not part of its plans for the 2027 World Cup. The report added that the selectors wanted to move on after the England tour and provide opportunities to younger opening options such as Yashasvi Jaiswal.
The speculation intensified after Rohit made a laboured 26 off 47 deliveries in the second ODI in Cardiff. It was subsequently suggested that the series decider at Lord’s on July 19 could be his final appearance for India. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia intervened before the match, firmly denying that any decision had been taken to make the Lord’s ODI Rohit’s farewell game. The clarification, however, did not amount to an unconditional guarantee that the former India captain would remain in the team until the 2027 World Cup.
Rohit then provided a forceful response with the bat, scoring 138 off 110 deliveries in India’s unsuccessful chase of 388. His innings, which included 17 fours and five sixes, made him the first Indian batter to score an ODI century at Lord’s. India eventually finished on 360 for seven, losing the match by 27 runs and the series 2-1.
After the game, India captain Shubman Gill said Rohit had not communicated any retirement decision to the team. Rohit also dismissed the speculation surrounding his future, maintaining that his job was to represent India and contribute with the bat.
‘If I am not playing well, you take the call and drop me’
Kaif believes Rohit’s decision to continue playing represents a significant change in his approach. According to the former India batter, Rohit has already stepped away voluntarily from two formats and will not make another such decision merely to make matters easier for the selectors.
“Yes, one thing has become clear,” Kaif said during a discussion. “Rohit Sharma is effectively saying, ‘If I am not playing well, you take the call yourselves. Drop me.’
“The fact that he has not stepped away or announced his retirement, the enthusiasm he is showing, the way he is approaching his batting and the hundred he scored at Lord’s — all of this shows that he is now focused entirely on playing. Whatever the selectors want to do after that is up to them. Perhaps earlier there was an attempt to convince him about certain things internally. The problem at the moment is that it is difficult to understand who stands where. There is a lot of confusion,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
He further stated that statements about Rohit being allowed to play with freedom were insufficient because neither the selectors nor the team management had publicly committed to taking him to the next World Cup.
“At times, members of the coaching staff come out and say, ‘We have given Rohit Sharma complete freedom to play his natural game.’ But nobody has yet made a clear statement saying, ‘Rohit Sharma is part of our plans for the 2027 World Cup.’ That statement also needs to come. Rohit Sharma’s form will naturally go up and down. He may have a poor series, but the management must say that it is standing behind him.
“Along with giving him freedom, they should also clearly say that they support him. Since no such statement has been made, there is considerable confusion and a lot of doubt. We are sitting outside, so we do not know exactly what is happening internally. But it appears to me that Rohit Sharma has now decided that he will not walk away on his own,” added Kaif.
‘Even if it is humiliating, you take the decision’
Rohit retired from T20 internationals immediately after leading India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title. He also stood himself down from the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney in January 2025 amid a prolonged struggle for runs, before announcing his Test retirement in May that year.
Kaif used those decisions to argue that Rohit had already demonstrated his willingness to put the team’s requirements ahead of his own position.
“Twice, he has taken the decision himself,” Kaif said. “After winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, he stepped away from the format and said that it was time to give an opportunity to the next generation. Then, during the Test series in Australia, when he was not scoring runs, he left himself out. After returning to India, he also retired from Test cricket. Those were decisions he took himself. But this time, Rohit Sharma appears to be saying, ‘You drop me. Even if it is humiliating for me, that is fine. You take the decision.’ That seems to be the situation now.”
Kaif also praised the timing of Saikia’s intervention, arguing that the BCCI prevented the Lord’s match from turning into a farewell spectacle driven entirely by speculation. “The report that the Lord’s match could be his final ODI was also framed as a possibility. There was a question mark attached to it. But when such reports emerge, they can quickly become much bigger. The BCCI did a very good job by making a statement before the Lord’s match. That intervention became a turning point. There may still be confusion internally — perhaps even among the selectors — about whether to retain him or not. But no final decision has been announced.
“Rohit Sharma should now be given complete freedom to play his game. The BCCI’s statement ensured that the entire focus at Lord’s returned to the cricket. Otherwise, every visual would have fuelled more speculation. People would have said, ‘Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are sitting together and looking very serious, so this must be Rohit’s final match.’ Those rumours would have grown further. The BCCI stopped that narrative at the right time. The BCCI secretary came forward and made a statement, and he deserves credit for that.”
Kaif concluded by warning the board against automatically accepting every recommendation made by the selectors or members of the team management. The BCCI must also understand that the people it hires — whether they are part of the management, the selection committee or the coaching staff — are not necessarily right on every occasion. They may all be former India players who earned great respect and did a lot for the country, but that does not mean every piece of advice they give the BCCI will always be correct.”
