Sunil Gavaskar after Rohit Sharma’s 92 vs WI: ‘I personally would like Rohit to have more ODI hundreds than his age’

Team India secured the three-match ODI series 2-1 despite losing the final game to West Indies, who chased down 352 in New Chandigarh. Captain Shai Hope led the successful chase with a brilliant unbeaten 162, while Rohit Sharma missed out on a century after scoring 92.

Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Haier Cricket Live’, JioStar expert Sunil Gavaskar explained why he was disappointed to see Rohit fall eight runs short of his hundred. The former India captain also spoke about Rohit’s batting approach and what he wants from the senior batter in the build-up to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.

Gavaskar wants Rohit to have more ODI hundreds than his age

Gavaskar believes Rohit still has an opportunity to reach a special milestone before he eventually calls time on his international career.

“The reason I was disappointed with Rohit getting out on 92 is because he didn’t get a hundred and he might possibly quit international cricket after the end of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.”

“And at that particular point of time, when he decides to call it a day, I personally would like Rohit to have more ODI hundreds than his age. Had he gotten a century in the third ODI, he would have moved closer to achieving that feat with his 36th hundred.”

“For me, it’s a special thing when a player’s hundreds outnumber his age at retirement. It shows the kind of career they have had and the standard they have kept for so many years. That is why I really want Rohit to reach that mark.”

Gavaskar also connected the thought to his own international career and a target he had set for himself before retirement.

“In my last year of international cricket, I wanted to get as many Test centuries as my age, and I got out in the 90s thrice. If I’d got those hundreds, then my centuries would have matched the age of my retirement, which was 38.”

Gavaskar on Rohit’s change in batting approach

Gavaskar also pointed out how Rohit’s batting style has changed since the 2023 ODI World Cup. The India opener was known for taking the attack to the opposition from the start during that tournament.

“A slight change has appeared in the batting template of Rohit that he himself set as the captain for the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he was going bang-bang from the first ball, irrespective of the possibility of getting out sooner.

“Now he recognises that his wicket is valuable. In that 2023 World Cup, he got the team off to great starts, but he’s not a batsman who will score just 30-40 runs. He’s a hundred-maker! And therefore, I’m happy to see him score big runs.”

Gavaskar felt Rohit’s recent approach can also help India maintain a strong scoring rate while reducing criticism around his strike rate.

“Yes, I know he missed out on a well-deserved ton in this match, but he got a hundred the previous game.

So, the fact that he’s recognising that his job as a batter is also to get a hundred, and if he scores big, he gets a hundred in 70-80 deliveries which is helpful for the team because that is a great scoring rate in a 50-over game and it also keeps him away from the social media critics of slow batting.”

India look ahead to 2027 World Cup

Rohit’s 92 was one of the key talking points from the third ODI, but India still walked away with the series win. The focus now shifts towards building a strong combination for the 2027 ODI World Cup, with senior players expected to play an important role in that preparation.