New Delhi [India], July 18 (ANI): Former India cricketer Ashok Dinda praised Rohit Sharma as a legend who made immense contributions to Indian cricket. Amid speculations around Rohit’s retirement, Dinda said the team would miss him if he retires.
Notably, speculations have been rife that the third and final ODI of the ongoing series against England at Lord’s on Sunday could be Rohit’s last appearance in the 50-over format. However, neither Rohit nor the BCCI has made any official announcement regarding his retirement.
Reacting to the growing buzz, Dinda told ANI that Rohit Sharma is a legend who has achieved tremendous success for India, including winning the World Cup and earning the ‘Hitman’ tag. Recalling their close friendship, he said they started their India careers around the same time and shared many memories. Dinda added that while India would miss Rohit if he retires, he would congratulate him on a remarkable career.
“He is a massive player. We’ve played quite a few matches together; we practically started our careers for India around the same time. Since then, he has won so many matches for India, set so many records, earned the nickname ‘Hitman,’ and even won a World Cup. He is a legend. If he retires, I offer him my heartiest congratulations, though India will certainly miss him. I have so many memories with Rohit. We used to play PlayStation together, go shopping, and have dinner together. I even danced at his wedding,” Dinda said.
While the speculations around Rohit’s retirement have been rife, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia dismissed speculations over Rohit Sharma’s retirement, clarifying that there has been no discussion about the Lord’s ODI against England being his final match.
“There are lot of speculations going on in 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.
Rohit, 39, made his ODI debut against Ireland in Belfast on June 23, 2007, and has already stepped away from both the T20I and Test formats.
The retirement chatter has gathered momentum during the ongoing England series, where Rohit has struggled for runs. The veteran opener has managed scores of 11 and 26 in the first two ODIs and has scored 241 runs in eight matches this year at an average of 30.12, with a highest score of 79. (ANI)
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