‘Sounds very simple but it is quite difficult’: Rohit Sharma’s unfiltered assessment of lean patch post return to form

Getting back to form after a prolonged lean patch is not quite easy as it seems from outside, reckoned Rohit Sharma after the India captain scored an international century after nearly a year on Sunday in the second ODI against England in Cuttack.

Having being heavily criticised for his barren run with the bat since the New Zealand Tet series at home, calls for Rohit Sharma’s retirement got louder with his every failure with the bat. However, the 37-year-old shut all the critics with a 90-ball 119, en route to India’s four-wicket win.

“When you have scored so many, you have done something, right? You just need to get back to that that mindset of you know how to get runs,” said Rohit Sharma after the game. “(It) sounds very simple, but it is quite difficult. But in my mind, it was just about enjoying and that is what we play the sport for, to enjoy the game more than anything else,” he said.

Rohit Sharma’s ton against England was his first in ODIs since October 2023. During this period, the India opener hit five fifties in 13 matches. His last international century came against England in a Test match in March 2024 at Dharamsala.

Clarity is impirtant for Rohit Sharma

According to the right-hander, its the job of every player to go out in the field and express themselves. For Rohit Sharma, what matters is the clarity of what he wants to do once he is in the middle.

“I have been here long enough. One or two knocks won’t change my mind but its just another day in the office. We need to do our job. Our job is to go out there and play the game. As long as you go out there and you know that you have given your best, that’s all matters.

“Everytime I walk on to the field, I always try to do well. Sometimes it happens and sometime it may not happen. As long as I am clear of what I want to do, that’s all matters,” added the Indian captain who also bagged the Player of the Match award.

Notably, this was Rohit Sharma’s first century in Cuttack. In all he has played four games at the Barabati Stadium, scoring 262 runs so far. The India captain’s knock comes at a right time, just ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy that starts in less than two week’s time.

With Rohit Sharma returning to form and Shubman Gill in prime touch with consecutive fifties, the Indian top-order looks sorted ahead of the mega event. India will play all their ICC Champions Trophy matches in Dubai after the BCCI refused to send its team to Pakistan.