All eyes are on Rohit Sharma in the series decider at Lord’s | Cricket news

The mood inside the Indian dressing room must be hard to read right now. Pictures from London showed the head coach Gautam Gambhir share a laugh with Rohit Sharma on the Lord’s balcony ahead of Sunday’s third ODI against England. However, they could not hide the intense pressure that the team’s oldest player must be under going into the decisive series. The significance of the match goes far beyond another bilateral series. Its outcome could affect team composition and planning over the next 15 months.The team’s management and selection committee have been ruthless in their decision-making over the past year, putting performance above player status and reputation. However, there is uncertainty over how Rohit fits into India’s plans for the ODI World Cup in South Africa.Late on Friday, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the 39-year-old “will continue to represent India as long as he is in the scheme of things”. It is clear, however, that the voters and the administration want to develop Yashasvi Jaiswal as an alternative opener. Another unconvincing outing on Sunday could dampen Rohit’s hopes of playing in his fourth World Cup.After the England series, India’s next ODI is against the West Indies in Trivandrum on September 27. Rohit looked visibly uncomfortable with England’s bounce and movement. Since moving away from the other two formats, he has generally only found form late in the series, even at home.The official view within Indian cricket remains that there is little concern over Rohit’s form. “Working with the new ball up front is tough. We’ve seen that throughout the series. The ball moves around. So batting up front, it’s not easy. No doubt Rohit will handle it,” India fast bowlers coach Morne Morkel said at a pre-match press conference on Saturday.