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Rohit Sharma’s ODI future has once again become a big talking point with reports claiming that a section of the Indian team management believes that the experienced opener should consider stepping away from the format. The discussion comes at a time when Rohit has returned fully fit after the hamstring injury that restricted his participation during IPL 2026.
While Rohit is one of India’s most accomplished white-ball cricketers, debate continues in cricket circles regarding his fitness and long-term future. The 39-year-old has been named in India’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan, but latest reports suggest that not everyone in the setup sees him as part of the team’s long-term plans.
Rohit Sharma declared fit for Afghanistan ODI
India got a big boost ahead of the Afghanistan ODI series after Rohit Sharma was given the green signal by the Center of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Rohit was recovering from a hamstring injury suffered during IPL 2026. The injury limited his participation for Mumbai Indians and forced the franchise to manage his workload carefully throughout the tournament.
Even after returning to action, Rohit was mainly used as an impact substitute, avoiding long periods on the field. Due to those concerns, he was included in India’s ODI squad with the condition that he would have to pass a fitness assessment at the Center of Excellence before being cleared for selection.
The experienced batsman has now successfully completed those tests and has been declared fit for the Afghanistan series. However, despite getting the green signal from the medical staff, questions remain whether Rohit can cope with the physical demands of consistent 50-over cricket.
How was Rohit Sharma’s performance in IPL 2026?
Rohit’s IPL 2026 campaign was a mixed one. Although injuries disrupted his season, he still managed to score some important innings for Mumbai Indians whenever he was available.
As per his season statistics, Rohit scored 283 runs in nine innings at an average of 35.37 and a strike rate of 157.22. His highest score was 84 runs, while he also recorded two half-centuries during the tournament.
His most notable innings came against Lucknow Super Giants when he scored 84 runs. He also played a match-winning inning of 78 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders at the beginning of the season. Apart from those innings, Rohit struggled to score consistently, registering innings of 35, 25, 22, 15, five and a duck in his other performances. Although the numbers were respectable, the bigger concern was his fitness.
‘Today Gautam Gambhir is more powerful than Rohit Sharma in the Indian dressing room’
According to a report in Cricblogger, there is a growing feeling among a section of the Indian team management that Rohit Sharma should voluntarily step down and give younger players a chance to establish themselves in the ODI setup.
The report says that neither the management nor head coach Gautam Gambhir has any problem with Rohit’s place in the team, as long as he is fit and continues to score runs. However, there is also a feeling that India should start planning for the future.
“Should he not retire? There are many people waiting for the opportunity to come into the team and technically he should make way for them. What is the point of continuing like this? Rohit has to accept that Gambhir is more powerful than him in the Indian dressing room today,” the source told Cricblogger.
The report further claims that if Rohit does not separate himself, there are chances that he may eventually be dropped from the ODI team. Moreover, Rohit Sharma’s relationship with Gambhir has not done much to strengthen his position.