Lord’s century from Rohit Sharma keeps India in contention but England win series

By Sanjay Menon — 19 July 2026 — 4 min read

Rohit Sharma delivered a significant century for India during the third ODI against England at Lord’s on Sunday, responding to ongoing discussions about his future in international cricket. Despite his efforts, India ultimately lost the match by 27 runs, resulting in England securing the series 2-1.

The match saw England set a formidable total of 387/3 in 50 overs, which marked the highest score ever recorded at the venue. This challenging target placed considerable pressure on Rohit Sharma, especially given the absence of Jasprit Bumrah due to an impact injury, which left the Indian bowling attack weakened.

Rohit, who had been facing scrutiny regarding his place in the squad and potential retirement, batted for approximately 175 minutes. He scored a masterful 138 runs off 110 balls. His innings was a crucial part of India’s chase, which saw them reach 360/7 in their 50 overs.

Rohit’s Statement Innings

Walking out to bat with Shubman Gill, Rohit demonstrated resilience. He started cautiously against Jofra Archer but soon accelerated, particularly against Josh Tongue, hitting back-to-back boundaries. He then strategically played against Sam Curran, disrupting his length by using the square behind the wicket, forcing Curran to bowl to his strengths. When Curran adjusted his length, Rohit employed his characteristic pull shot.

His fifty came off 50 balls, and he continued to build his innings, manipulating the field and length against various bowlers including Tongue, Archer, and Adil Rashid. His partnership with Gill was vital in the early stages, preventing early wickets in what would have been the highest successful ODI chase at Lord’s. Gill contributed 77 runs before his departure.

The much-anticipated century arrived in the 31st over when Rohit hit Rashid for a big shot, reaching his 36th ODI hundred in just 84 balls. The celebration was understated; he raised his bat, acknowledged the applause, and was embraced by Virat Kohli, who was at the other end. Kohli also scored 74 runs in the innings, supporting Rohit’s efforts.

This century held historical significance for Rohit. He became the first Indian batter to score an ODI hundred at Lord’s, surpassing Sourav Ganguly’s 90 against England in 2004 as the highest individual score by an Indian at the venue. Additionally, at 39 years and 80 days, Rohit became the oldest batter to score an ODI century at Lord’s. He also became the oldest Indian cricketer to score an international hundred across all formats.

The innings further highlighted Rohit’s strong record in England, marking his eighth ODI hundred in the country. This achievement makes him the visiting batter with the most ODI hundreds in a single nation, surpassing records held by Sachin Tendulkar, Saeed Anwar, AB de Villiers, and Quinton de Kock, all of whom had seven centuries in a visiting country. Among all batters in England, only Joe Root, with 10 ODI hundreds, has scored more, while Marcus Trescothick also has eight.

Match Progression and Outcome

After Gill’s dismissal, Rohit maintained the momentum by finding gaps, rotating the strike, and punishing loose deliveries. The pressure that had been on him before the match seemed to dissipate with each boundary. However, with English bowlers taking pace off the ball and an extra fielder outside the circle, hitting across the park became challenging.

Between overs 34-38, Rohit ensured at least one boundary came in each over from Curran and Bethell. In an attempt to accelerate further and achieve some 20-run overs, Rohit eventually fell to Bethell after his 110-ball 138. His dismissal led to a collapse, with India going from 304/2 to 329/7 before eventually losing the match.

Despite the loss, Rohit’s performance left a strong impression. The crowd at Lord’s gave him a standing ovation as he walked back to the pavilion. The innings, while not securing a win for India, has put the decision regarding his future firmly in the hands of the selectors, with the next ODI series scheduled for September.

Brief scores for the match were: England 387/3 in 50 overs (Ben Duckett 141, Jacob Bethell 91, Joe Root 74 not out, Jos Buttler 41 not out; Arshdeep Singh 2/72) beat India 360/7 in 50 overs (Rohit Sharma 138, Shubman Gill 77, Virat Kohli 74; Sam Curran 4/75) by 27 runs.

Source: newindianexpress.com