India star batter Rohit Sharma has come under sharp criticism following his dismal performance in the ODI series against New Zealand. He only scored a total of 61 runs in three innings, including a disappointing 11-run knock in the series decider. The Men in Blue lost series by 1-2 following a 42-run defeat in the third and final ODI at Indore.
Rohit recorded scores of 26, 24 and 11 in the three ODIs respectively. The criticism grew especially after his performance in the third match as he ended up losing his wicket cheaply when India really needed him to play a big knock.
Doull's verdict on Rohit
Following the conclusion of the series, former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull questioned if Rohit had enough "hunger" left in him to play until the 2027 ODI World Cup. He believes that the tournament may just be a little too far away for the 38-year-old. Doull further pointed out that Rohit won't be in action for Team India in the coming months due to the team not participating in any ODI matches.
“I feel with Rohit, he’s always had something to chase, in terms of a goal in mind, whether it be a T20 World Cup or a 50-over World Cup. I just wonder, that 2027 World Cup in South Africa, is that too far away? Does he still have that real hunger?” Doull said on Star Sports.
“The last little while, and even coming up over the next few weeks, we’re building towards a T20 World Cup. So there has been very little one-day cricket over the past four months and there will be very little in the next three or four months as well. When you’re only playing one format, you don’t get a huge number of opportunities,” he added.
India's next ODI assignment
Though Rohit had come into the New Zealand series in sensational form, he failed to deliver throughout the three matches and this saw him come under scrutiny. He will be hoping to regain his form in the Men in Blue's next ODI assignment that will be against England and will begin from July 14. His next competitive assignment may very well be IPL 2026.