New Delhi, July 20, 2026
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal believes Rohit Sharma delivered the perfect response to speculation surrounding his future with a sublime century in the third ODI against England at Lord’s, saying the veteran opener reminded the cricketing world why he remains among the finest batters in the 50-over format despite India’s 27-run defeat and 2-1 series loss.
Akmal described Rohit’s 138 as the defining moment of the series decider, arguing that the innings silenced questions over the former India captain’s place in the national team’s future plans.
“Overall, England deserved to win the series, but Rohit Sharma’s century was the biggest story of the day. It was a statement innings from a player who reminded everyone why he is still one of the world’s best ODI batters. There was so much speculation about his future. Rumours were being spread that he was no longer part of India’s plans and wouldn’t make it to the 2027 World Cup. Today, Rohit answered all of those questions with his bat,” Akmal said on The Game Plan podcast.
Akmal also said players of Rohit’s stature should be assessed by their performances rather than external conversations, adding that both Rohit and Virat Kohli have earned the right to decide when to walk away from the game.
“Today’s innings was his answer. There was talk that he should be moved aside, but performances like this show why great players should be judged by what they produce on the field. Players like Rohit and Virat don’t leave because someone pushes them out. They leave when they feel the time is right. Both have sacrificed plenty for Indian cricket over the years. They have rested when required, put the team first and continued to perform. That’s why they remain superstars,” he stated.
While praising India’s batting effort, Akmal felt the visitors were ultimately let down by their bowling, pointing to the lack of control in the pace attack and the absence of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI.
“Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh are experienced bowlers, but they both went for plenty. Gurnoor Brar conceded 97 runs. When your main bowlers are leaking 70 to 100 runs, it becomes very difficult to defend or restrict the opposition. India also missed Kuldeep Yadav. With only one frontline spinner, Axar Patel, they lacked variety. I thought Kuldeep should have played. His wicket-taking ability could have made a difference,” he added.
The former Pakistan international further argued that India’s inexperienced bowling unit struggled to close out England’s innings, allowing the hosts to build the platform that eventually proved decisive.
“India’s bowling lacked experience. They conceded more than 80 runs in the final five overs, and that proved decisive. Even though they fought hard with the bat, they were always chasing too much. India also looked a bit complacent. People kept saying they could field two or three different teams because of their talent pool. But if you look at this tour, from Ireland to England, they managed to win only one match,” Akmal mentioned.
England piled up 387/5 after a blistering finish at Lord’s before restricting India to 360/7, with Rohit’s landmark century emerging as the standout individual performance despite the visitors falling short by 27 runs in the series decider.(Agency)
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