Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal reacted to Rohit Sharma’s performance in the third and final ODI against England at Lord’s, stating that despite the loss, his 138 off 110 balls was the story of the day.
Akmal felt that the 39-year-old responded to his critics with his knock and innings like the one on Sunday indicated why he should be backed moving forward.
“Overall, England deserved to win the series, but Rohit Sharma’s century was the biggest story of the day. It was a statement innings from a player who reminded everyone why he is still one of the world’s best ODI batters. There was so much speculation about his future. Rumours were being spread that he was no longer part of India’s plans and wouldn’t make it to the 2027 World Cup. Today, Rohit answered all of those questions with his bat,” he said on “The Game Plan” podcast.
“Today’s innings was his answer. There was talk that he should be moved aside, but performances like this show why great players should be judged by what they produce on the field. Players like Rohit and Virat don’t leave because someone pushes them out.”
“They leave when they feel the time is right. Both have sacrificed plenty for Indian cricket over the years. They have rested when required, put the team first and continued to perform. That’s why they remain superstars,” he added.
Akmal also criticised India’s bowling performance, which saw them leak 387 runs in 50 overs, adding that they felt Kuldeep Yadav’s absence in the middle.
“Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh are experienced bowlers, but they both went for plenty. Gurnoor Brar conceded 97 runs. When your main bowlers are leaking 70 to 100 runs, it becomes very difficult to defend or restrict the opposition. India also missed Kuldeep Yadav. With only one frontline spinner, Axar Patel, they lacked variety. I thought Kuldeep should have played. His wicket-taking ability could have made a difference,” he said.
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“India’s bowling lacked experience. They conceded more than 80 runs in the final five overs, and that proved decisive. Even though they fought hard with the bat, they were always chasing too much. India also looked a bit complacent. People kept saying they could field two or three different teams because of their talent pool. But if you look at this tour, from Ireland to England, they managed to win only one match,” he added.
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