Amid growing speculation that the third ODI against England could mark Rohit Sharma's final appearance in international cricket, former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin criticised the BCCI selection committee over the reported timing of their communication with the veteran batter.
According to a report by The Indian Express on Thursday, the selectors are believed to have informed Rohit that he is not part of India's plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Neither the former India skipper nor the BCCI has officially commented on the report. However, the speculation has fuelled suggestions that Sunday's series-deciding ODI at Lord's could be the 39-year-old's last outing in India colours.
Rohit has already retired from Test Cricket in 2025 and T20 Internationals in 2024.
The 'Hitman' has played 13 ODIs as a senior member (after being removed as ODI captain) in the team since October last year, making 563 runs at an average of 46.91 with a hundred and four fifties, although in 2026, Sharma's numbers aren't good, with just one fifty-plus score in eight games.
Do India Need Rohit-Virat in ODI World Cup 2027?
Ravichandran Ashwin said that if the BCCI selectors had already decided not to consider Rohit Sharma for the 2027 ODI World Cup, then they should have conveyed that decision to the experienced opener immediately after India's ICC Champions Trophy triumph in March 2025, rather than this stage.
"In his last eight games, Rohit's form has gone down and it can happen to any player," Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel, Ash ki Baat.
"My problem is with the Indian team itself. We are going to South Africa in September-October, do we need Rohit and Virat? If you ask me, I will want that experience. I know Yashasvi Jaiswal is pushing hard from behind. But as a decision maker, if you ever felt in your mind that these two players are not fit for the 2027 ODI World Cup, that could have been communicated at the end of the ICC Champions Trophy," he added.
Jaiswal, who is seen as a strong contender for a place at the top of India's ODI batting order, has already established himself as India's first-choice opener in Test cricket. However, with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill continuing to open the innings in ODIs, Jaiswal had to wait for opportunities despite scoring a century in his most recent appearance.
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'Why Have We Let It Come This Far?'
If Rohit Sharma makes way for Yashasvi Jaiswal after the England series, the left-hander will have less than a year to settle into the ODI side ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
"Why have we let it come till 2026 August when it is just 10-12 months left for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa? Why have we let it come this far? That's my only question," the former India spinner added.
Ravichandran Ashwin also compared Rohit Sharma's reported treatment to practices in the corporate world, criticising the manner in which the situation had unfolded.
"Players like Rohit and Virat, they deserve respect. There is 12 months to go and this is too late to make a call like this. And the way it is going on, Virat also has to be on top of his game, unfortunately," Ashwin added. "In corporates they call it layoffs, but for those who are at senior posts, things are done via smooth communication. My point is if someone has served the team for the past two decades, there needs to be a good exit."
India are scheduled to play England in the third ODI at Lord's on July 19.
Rohit Sharma holds the record for the highest individual score in one-day internationals and is the only player in the history of the 50-over format to have scored three double centuries. The 39-year-old has also accumulated 11,757 runs in 287 ODIs at an impressive average of 48.58 and a strike rate of 92.77.
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