Boria Majumdar
Rohit Sharma has been back in the news over the last few days, and I have read and seen videos by some journalists saying they are certain he will not play in the 2027 World Cup. Some have even said he should retire because he is doing a disservice to his reputation. While everyone is entitled to an opinion, and opinions make for good debate, no journalist can ever claim to know for certain what will happen.
The answer is simple. Rohit has not been dropped. He will feature in the West Indies series. Suppose he scores runs in that series. No journalist, official or selector can drop a player who is performing. If the player performs, the matter ends — unless the player himself wants to retire.
So, while Rohit can indeed be dropped if he fails or underperforms, if he scores, the matter ends there. Runs, or the lack of them, will decide. Not the whims or fancies of journalists.
By all means, Rohit could miss out on the 2027 World Cup. But for that to happen, he needs to fail. At the moment, his last innings is a stellar 140.
Second, I have also seen people say Rohit should retire because he will not add much by playing on for the next few months. No one can ask anyone to retire. Not the selectors, not the BCCI and certainly not a journalist.
If the selectors wish to drop Rohit, they can do so. That is their call and their domain. But to say he should retire is beyond the mark. The journalist in question should also retire by that logic. Whoever does not like someone should simply say that person should retire? It is childish and irresponsible to make such sweeping statements.
If, after getting dropped, Rohit wants to continue playing domestic cricket — a big if — that too is his decision. He can put himself up for selection. Whether or not the selectors pick him is a different matter. So one can say the selectors should not pick him. But to say he should retire is way off the mark.
At the moment, no one other than Rohit has control over his future. The hundred at Lord’s has given him the agency to let his bat be the deciding influence. Suppose he fails against the West Indies. There is no doubt the selectors can look beyond him for the series against New Zealand. But if he scores, the call on his future remains with him.
To drop someone who has scored 140 in his last game at Lord’s would be far-fetched, and everyone in the ecosystem will know that.
For now, it is Rohit and his bat. And on that 22-yard strip, no journalist, influencer or selector does the job. It is only his bat against the opposition.
Can he score — and score consistently — over the next couple of months? That will decide his future, unless Rohit himself decides to call it a day.
For now, statements about his retirement can certainly fetch social media numbers. Beyond that, they have little value.
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