Rohit Sharma's 138 at Lord's: Unfazed by retirement talk after ODI series loss
Synopsis
Rohit Sharma hit a historic 138 at Lord's — the first ODI ton by an Indian at the ground — yet England still won the series 2-1. His response to retirement chatter was vintage Rohit: unbothered, direct, and with a touch of wit. Meanwhile, he and Kohli quietly hit 400 international matches together and moved to second on the all-time ODI century-partnership list.
Key Takeaways
England won the three-match ODI series 2-1 , beating India by 27 runs in the deciding third ODI at Lord's .
Rohit Sharma scored 138 at Lord's — the first ODI century by an Indian batter at the venue.
Rohit dismissed retirement speculation, saying 'if there's no noise, there's no fun.' Rohit and Virat Kohli recorded their 21st ODI century partnership , second only to Tendulkar-Ganguly's 26 .
The pair became the first Indian duo to play 400 international matches together, with over 8,000 ODI runs combined.
Rohit urged patience with India's inexperienced bowling attack and called for a collective team response.
Rohit Sharma brushed aside swirling retirement speculation on 20 July, insisting that external noise has never derailed his focus, even as England sealed the three-match ODI series 2-1 with a 27-run win in the deciding third ODI at Lord's. The former India captain had produced a stunning 138 — the first ODI century by an Indian batter at the iconic venue — yet it was not enough to overhaul England's imposing 387.
Rohit on the Noise Around His Future
'My job is with the bat. Come and play, represent my country, represent the team. And that's what I've been told to do since I made my debut,' Rohit said in a video shared by the BCCI. 'The noise since I made my debut was there. And till the time I'm going to stay here, it's always going to be there. So, it doesn't really matter too much. What matters is what I do on the field. If there's no noise, there's no fun. My job is inside; their job is outside.'
The 39-year-old's remarks were characteristically measured — a deflection that doubled as a statement of intent. Having faced similar scrutiny at multiple points in his career, Rohit has consistently allowed his performances to answer questions that words could sidestep.
A Historic Hundred That Still Wasn't Enough
Rohit's 138 at Lord's was a landmark innings by any measure — the first ODI century by an Indian batter at the ground. Yet the match underscored a recurring theme in this series: India's batting rose to the occasion while the bowling and run-rate arithmetic did not cooperate.
'A little disappointed with the result because I thought we were playing really good cricket,' Rohit admitted. 'We fell a little short at Cardiff with the bat. And then here, again, there was a massive total to chase. We tried everything we could, but again fell 20-25 runs short.' India had also started the series with a strong outing in Birmingham, making the eventual 2-1 defeat a bitter pill for a squad that showed clear signs of competitive intent.
Bowling Inexperience and the Learning Curve
Rohit was candid about India's bowling limitations without being dismissive. 'When it comes to bowling, you've got to understand these guys haven't played a lot of ODI cricket. You've got to give them some time,' he said. The series exposed the depth — or relative lack of it — in India's ODI bowling resources, particularly when tasked with defending or restricting totals above 350 in English conditions.
He urged the group to treat the series as a developmental exercise rather than a setback, a stance that reflects both his captaincy instincts and the transitional phase Indian cricket finds itself in across white-ball formats.
Rohit-Kohli: 21st Century Stand and 400 Matches Together
One of the brighter subplots of the Lord's ODI was the partnership between Rohit and Virat Kohli, who recorded their 21st century stand in ODIs — placing them second on the all-time list, behind only Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, who share 26 such partnerships. The duo also became the first Indian pair to appear in 400 international matches together, a milestone that speaks to the longevity of one of cricket's most celebrated batting combinations.
Their combined ODI run tally now exceeds 8,000 runs. 'We played our entire career together. It's always fun batting together. We understand each other so much,' Rohit said. 'There was a lot of conversation going around in between when we were batting — bouncing off ideas, trying to see what we can do.'
What India Takes Away From England
Despite the series defeat, Rohit reaffirmed his fondness for English conditions and framed the tour as a necessary challenge. 'I love playing in England. The atmosphere, the ground, the pitches — when you turn up here to play any format, it challenges you in different ways. And that's what, as a cricketer, you want,' he said.
He called for a collective response going forward, stressing that individual milestones must be subordinate to team outcomes. 'It's about the group. The collective effort from the group is needed. And that's what I think the team should be focusing on,' the batter stated. With India's white-ball calendar set to intensify, how the squad responds to this series will be closely watched.
Point of View
But whether India's ODI structure can support a top order this experienced without a bowling unit to match. Falling 20-25 runs short twice in a series where the batting repeatedly fired points to a systemic imbalance, not individual failure. The Rohit-Kohli partnership milestones are remarkable, but they also raise an uncomfortable question: when this axis eventually ends, is there a second tier ready to absorb the weight?
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Rohit Sharma score in the third ODI at Lord's?
Rohit Sharma scored 138 in the third ODI at Lord's on 20 July , becoming the first Indian batter to score an ODI century at the iconic ground. Despite the knock, India fell short by 27 runs as England defended 387 to seal the series 2-1 .
What did Rohit Sharma say about retirement speculation?
Rohit dismissed the talk with characteristic composure, saying 'if there's no noise, there's no fun' and that his focus remains on contributing with the bat. He noted that scrutiny has followed him since his debut and that he does not let it affect his on-field performance.
What is the significance of the Rohit-Kohli partnership record at Lord's?
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli recorded their 21st ODI century partnership at Lord's, placing them second on the all-time list behind Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, who share 26 . They also became the first Indian pair to feature in 400 international matches together.
Why did India lose the ODI series against England?
India lost the series 2-1 after falling short with the bat in Cardiff and again at Lord's, where they needed to chase 387 and ended up 20-25 runs short. Rohit also cited the inexperience of India's ODI bowling attack as a factor in conceding large totals.
How many ODI runs have Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli scored together?
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have combined for more than 8,000 runs in ODIs, making them the second most successful duo in terms of century partnerships in ODI history, with 21 such stands to their name.
