England captain Harry Brook shared his views on the retirement rumours around Rohit Sharma, ahead of the third and last ODI against India at Lord’s on Sunday, July 19, like pretty much everyone is talking about it.

 

In the last few days there has been a lot of intense buzz going around about Rohit’s international career. Some reports said the seasoned opener might end his India stint after the final ODI vs England. Still though, Rohit Sharma, and the BCCI too, have not put out any official note or announcement about it.

 

And yeah, earlier even India assistant coach Morne Morkel had shut down the rumours, and openly supported Rohit’s spot in the side.

 

Harry Brook Praises Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

 

At the pre-match press conference, Brook was asked if all this retirement talk around Rohit would actually change England’s mindset for the series decider.

 

Brook said he wasn’t clued in on the reports, but at the same time he did praise Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, talking about how much they’ve contributed to world cricket.

 

Brook basically added that the two Indian batting stalwarts have entertained fans for ages, and they still sit among the most impressive players of their era.

 

Brook said:

 

“I don’t know what’s been said about Rohit Sharma. They’ve obviously been phenomenal players for many years , and it’s great to see them still playing the game.”

 

His comments came while people keep discussing what Rohit might do next, and whether the retirement chatter is real or just noise.

 

Reports Claim Selectors Wanted to Move On

 

Recently, a report from Times of India said the national selectors have already decided to move on from Rohit Sharma after India’s ODI series against Afghanistan.

 

The report also suggested that the team management wanted Rohit to sit out that third ODI so young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal could get a chance. It also claimed Rohit wasn’t up for resting which then led to captain Shubman Gill sliding down to number three, since Virat Kohli wasn’t available.

 

Despite all the rumours, former India coach Lalchand Rajput has more or less backed Rohit to keep playing for the national team. For now, there’s still nothing official about any retirement plans, and Rohit remains a major part of India’s ODI group.

 

Also Read | Morne Morkel Breaks Silence on Rohit Sharma Retirement Rumours Before IND vs ENG Lord's ODI

 

Harry Brook Wants England Batters to Follow Joe Root

 

On top of talking about Rohit, Brook also pointed out how important Joe Root is for England’s batting lineup.

 

Brook said that each player in the team can learn from Root’s mindset and approach. He praised the former captain for always evolving as a batter, even after playing close to 200 ODIs.

 

Brook added:

 

“I personally think you’re always learning. He (Root) has played nearly 200 ODIs; he’s still trying to learn, he’s still trying to get better as a player, and he’s England’s greatest-ever batter. Root has been such a good player for so many years, and it’s awesome to have him on the side.”

 

England Looking to Learn From Root's Method

 

Brook also admitted that in recent years, England have leaned heavily on Joe Root, especially in ODI and Test cricket.

 

He feels the whole batting unit should borrow some of Root’s habits, mainly his ability to rotate the strike and make batting look almost effortless.

 

He said further:

 

“We probably have depended on him quite a little bit in recent times in ODI cricket and Test cricket. Hopefully, the boys can learn from what he’s doing, myself included, and realise how easy he’s making batting look to be able to just rotate the strike. If we can add a little bit of Joe Root into our batting as a collective team, then we’ll definitely be in some strong positions.”

 

So yeah, with the ODI series level and all the attention focused on Rohit’s future, it’s now all set for Lord’s, where India and England will go head to head in the final match, with series bragging rights on the line.