Over the past few months, there has been tremendous discussion over veteran Indian star Rohit Sharma’s place in India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Rohit, who is now 39, no longer plays Test or T20Is, keeping himself involved only in ODIs.
Amid the intense debate, former Australia opener Matthew Hayden, sharing his views, believes that the decision over Rohit’s future should lie with Rohit himself. According to Hayden, the question is not about age or statistics but about whether Rohit still has the hunger to represent India at the World Cup.
“When you get to the age Rohit is at, you start facing those questions. Before him, it was Virat, and before that, it was Gautam Gambhir. It just goes on and on. You can't play this beautiful game forever. When you reach that stage of your career, you're inevitably asked whether it will be the IPL or international cricket that goes first,” Hayden told ANI.
Rohit has already retired from Test and T20Is; that in some ways has reduced his workload, but continuing to play ODIs will surely demand a major commitment. That is why Hayden feels that Rohit is in the best place to decide as to how long he wants to keep playing.
“Rohit has already retired from Test cricket, so ultimately, only he can know whether he still fights a lion to keep charging through what is an incredibly demanding schedule. You need a young man's energy to compete at the very highest level. So, in the end, it will be entirely his call,” Hayden said.
Notably, Rohit was recently seen in India’s three-match ODI series against England, where he notched up an impressive run of performances. In the third and final ODI, he smashed a magnificent knock of 138 that once again underlined his amazing ability.