Rohit Sharma's ODI form decline sparks future doubts
India opener's poor 2026 numbers raise questions about his place ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
Rohit Sharma's struggles in ODIs this year have put his spot in the team under scrutiny. In eight innings in 2026, he has scored 241 runs at an average of 30.12 and a strike rate of 88.60, with only one half-century. He has failed to cross 30 in six of those innings and has been dismissed inside the first ten overs four times.
His lack of fluency was evident in Cardiff, where two-paced bounce exposed his difficulties. Even on better batting surfaces, he looked unsettled. His two decent scores—48 and 79—came against a weaker Afghanistan attack on favourable pitches in Lucknow and Chennai. In the same matches, other openers averaged 39.76 with a strike rate of 101.21, and hit a boundary every 6.49 balls compared to Rohit's 7.35.
Since stepping down as captain, Rohit has reverted to a more conservative approach in the powerplay, avoiding early risks. This regression follows a strong 2025 where he averaged 50 with a strike rate of 100.46 across 14 innings, including four fifties and two centuries. His current form has the lowest average among Indian batters with at least five outings this year, intensifying the debate over his future.