Did Harsha Bhogle Hint At Rohit Sharma’s Retirement Was Already Planned By BCCI?

Indian cricket commentator and broadcaster Harsha Bhogle has not held back while criticising the issue of Rohit Sharma and his retirement from the ODI setup. Rohit Sharma’s retirement saga has already passed on like a musical chair, and different opinions are doing their rounds as the men in blue prepare for the third and final ODI, which will take place at Lord’s. According to Harsha, such media speculations are baseless and only act as rumours.

Bhogle took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote that such issues, if not dealt with properly, could cause a cataclysm within the Indian dressing room. “This whole business around Rohit Sharma, from an irresponsible leak to a high level clarificaation, is so damaging to Indian cricket and the atmosphere in the team,” Bhogle wrote on his official X account.

The controversy around Rohit Sharma started after reports had claimed that India’s selectors and team management were planning for the 2027 ODI World Cup without Rohit Sharma, fuelling speculation that the veteran opener’s international career could be nearing its end. The rumours gained further traction after Rohit managed scores of just 11 and 26 in the opening two ODIs against England.

The speculation, however, was firmly put to rest by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, who reiterated that Rohit continues to be an integral part of India’s ODI setup. Saikia categorically denied any discussions regarding the 39-year-old’s retirement, emphasizing that there was no truth to claims that the third ODI at Lord’s would mark his farewell appearance in the format.

“There are a lot of speculations going on in the media about Rohit Sharma’s future. I want to firmly assert that there has been no such discussion that Rohit will be playing his last match at Lord’s on Sunday. Rohit is a regular member of the Indian ODI team, and he will continue to represent the country as long as he is in the scheme of things. In other words, Lord’s ODI won’t be his last match,” Saikia said, quoted by ANI.

Rohit has already retired from T20I and Test cricket, making ODIs the only international format in which he currently plays.