TimesofIndia.com London: Many slogans sounded at the scene Rohit Sharma Step into the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on Saturday. When he walked out nearly three hours later, his mood was still the same.“The most important man in India!” one fan shouted. Another shouted, “Ek century pakka kal! (Tomorrow will definitely be a century!)”, as Rohit smiled and took his seat in the luxurious black bus. “The Hitman’s” run may not go smoothly. Opponents may push him aside rather than support him to stay. But fans don’t see it that way. Rohit Sharma has scored 891 runs since the start of 2025, trailing Shubman GillThe oath of 974 Virat Kohli961 points. This year, he has scored 241 runs, behind Gill’s 484 runs and Kohli’s 310 runs. Even if team management denies it, pressure must be playing a role.As Rohit and Kohli prepare for their final bilateral match in England, their contribution to the game has not been forgotten.“They’ve obviously been phenomenal players over the years and it’s great to see them still playing,” the England captain said Harry Brooke Said before the third ODI, the series was locked at 1-1.Rohit has scored just 37 runs in the ongoing series, including 11 for Birmingham and 26 for Cardiff, raising questions as to whether the 39-year-old’s place in the India ODI squad is under threat. Batting coach Sitamshu Kotak insists there is no pressure at all.Moeen Morkel put his proverbial arm around Rohit’s shoulders again on Saturday.“It’s hard work up front with the new ball. We’ve seen that throughout the series. The ball is moving.“So batting in front is not easy. There is no doubt that Rohit will solve that problem. He has done it in the past. He is experienced and he brings calmness to the batting line-up. So, without a doubt, we don’t have any worries or concerns about the way he handles things,” the South African added.His record at Lord’s didn’t inspire much confidence. The right-hand bowler played five games at this stadium and scored just 133 runs, including 83 in the 2021 Test match. In four white-ball games, he scored only 29 points, with his highest score being 15 points in 2018. In fact, his last game here ended with a 10-ball duck as England beat India by 100 runs.To change that, Rohit took part in the optional practice match ahead of the third ODI Ishan KishanKL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav and Prince Yadav.In a batting session that lasted over an hour, Rohit faced Kuldeep, Mayank Yadav and the sidearm specialist. He seems to have generally good hands and good control. During breaks, he joked with support staff. After it was over, he walked to the bench, took off his equipment, and chatted with the head coach for a while. Gautam Gambhir. Even before the Nets game, Rohit was seen standing next to Gambhir and Kotak on the main balcony, laughing together.Even if this is the last ODI in Rohit Sharma’s illustrious career, there is no doubt that huge crowds will turn out to get a last glimpse of one of India’s greatest white-ball cricketers at one of the most iconic venues of the game.
