Speculation about Rohit’s future dominated the build-up to the match. However, the BCCI has made it clear that the Lord’s ODI will not be the veteran opener’s final international appearance.
Even so, Rohit will be eager to silence his critics after struggling in the first two games of the series.
Rohit is trying to get his touch back
At his best, Rohit is known for his effortless hitting against pace and his ability to dominate spin. But the 39-year-old has looked far from fluent so far, leading to fresh debates over whether he can continue until the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
The two-pace surface in Cardiff didn’t help his cause as he played nine consecutive dot balls before getting out.
A better batting wicket at the ‘Home of Cricket’ could give Rohit the ideal opportunity to produce a trademark innings.
As the former India captain, Rohit has often set the tone by attacking in the powerplay. His biggest challenge on Sunday will be handling the pace and bounce of Jofra Archer in the opener.
Gill, Kohli key for India’s batting
Current captain Shubman Gill has seen some good contact with the bat and will be hoping to convert his start into a big hundred after taking his wicket in Cardiff.
While Rohit has struggled, Virat Kohli has continued to dominate the ODI format. He looked for another century in the second ODI before falling to Archer, prompting a middle-order collapse that proved costly for India.
India will hope to avoid repeating those mistakes in the series decider.
KL Rahul’s availability also remains a moot point after Ishan Kishan replaced him in the previous game due to illness. Kishan, like many other Indian batsmen, found it difficult against England’s short ball tactics.
Shreyas Iyer has been one of India’s positives in the middle order, especially with his confident batting against spinner Adil Rashid.
Teams
England: Harry Brook (captain), Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, James Coles, Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue.
India: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdev Krishna, Prince Yadav Brash, Prince Yadav Brash.