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For the team leadership that refused to talk about personal milestones, the 39-year-old Rohit Sharma delivered a shot that left every cricket fan in awe. Chasing an impossible target of 388 in the deciding series and looking to extend his career beyond this match, Rohit became the first Indian to score an ODI hundred at Lord’s on Sunday. Rohit’s knock of 138 off 110 balls is sure to spark heated debates about his place in India’s ODI World Cup plans. But it must not be lost on the custodians of Indian cricket that India have lost three of the last four ODI series, with India losing by 27 runs on a pitch that was the closest to the pitches in India. Head coach Gautam Gambhir will board the flight from London after winning just one match on a white-ball tour that also included a T20I loss to Ireland. Shubman Gill is yet to win a series since taking over the captaincy from Rohit last October. Discussions surrounding India’s World Cup preparations next year have mostly revolved around Rohit at the top of the order. As he has done of late, Rohit fired at the end of the series. And as India have been doing of late, their batsman is consistently second behind the opposition in high-scoring matches. Most importantly, it is well established by now that the bowling attack is always breathless without Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out due to an impact injury sustained in the last ODI in Cardiff. England’s batting enjoyed an onslaught of young Indian bowlers with Ben Duckett scoring 141 off 135 and Jacob Bethell hitting 91 off 93, followed by an unbeaten Joe Root 74 off 48 and Jos Buttler’s defining unbeaten 13-ball 41. Rohit did what he had to do to tell the team management and selectors that he was not done playing for India. The innings may not have had the fluidity and range of shots that are associated with Rohit, but they screamed of his resilience and the mental strength of a champion. The start offered by Gill and Rohit was bizarre with the duo going around 5-5.5 runs per over for the first 20 overs in a chase that required a run rate close to 7.5 runs per over. Rohit eased after India lost Gill for 77 off 84 balls at 147 and Virat Kohli set out to chase down this total. Rohit’s struggles against a good length ball on the off stump were evident as he waited for the short balls to unleash his old shots. His first boundaries on the ground were almost about 30 above the mark after he had settled down completely. He seemed to be in familiar territory with Kohli in his ears at the other end. The chase really began after 25 overs and ended with a spasmodic Rohit falling in the 39th over. With a partnership of 103 runs in around 14 overs, Kohli and Rohit rolled back the clock but hopes of a miracle ended when Kohli departed for 74 off 60.
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