Gavaskar wants Rohit Sharma to retire with more ODI tons than his age
Synopsis
Sunil Gavaskar's disappointment at Rohit Sharma falling for 92 reveals a fascinating personal benchmark: he wants the former India captain to retire with more ODI hundreds than his age. With the 2027 World Cup potentially Rohit's last, the race between his century tally and the calendar just got a compelling new framing.
Key Takeaways
Sunil Gavaskar expressed disappointment that Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 92 in the third ODI against the West Indies , just short of a 36th ODI hundred.
Gavaskar wants Rohit to retire with more ODI centuries than his age — a personal milestone the legend himself narrowly missed at age 38 .
Rohit is believed to be targeting the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup as his potential international farewell.
India won the ODI series 2-1 ; the West Indies took the third match, chasing 352 on the back of captain Shai Hope's unbeaten 162 .
Gavaskar noted Rohit has evolved his batting approach since the 2023 ODI World Cup , now valuing his wicket more while still capable of centuries in 70-80 deliveries .
Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has explained why Rohit Sharma's dismissal for 92 in the third ODI against the West Indies left him disappointed — he believes the former India captain could retire after the 2027 ODI World Cup and wants him to finish his career with more ODI centuries than his age at the time of retirement.
Gavaskar's Milestone Theory
Speaking to JioStar, Gavaskar drew on a deeply personal benchmark: the significance of a batter's international hundreds outnumbering his age at retirement. Rohit, who scored his 35th ODI hundred in the second match of the series, was on course for a 36th before falling for 92 in the third ODI.
'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,' Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar also revealed that he himself had chased a similar milestone in his final international year. '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,' he added.
Rohit's Evolving Batting Approach
Beyond the milestone chase, Gavaskar noted a tactical evolution in Rohit's batting since the 2023 ODI World Cup. During that tournament, Rohit was known for an aggressive, all-out approach from the very first delivery. Gavaskar argued that the opener now shows a greater understanding of the value of his wicket.
'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,' Gavaskar said.
He was quick to clarify this is not a drift towards caution but a maturation in match awareness. 'He's a hundred-maker! And therefore, I'm happy to see him score big runs. 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,' Gavaskar stated.
Series Context: India Win 2-1, West Indies Take Final Match
India secured the three-match ODI series 2-1 against the West Indies, though the hosts claimed the final game by successfully chasing 352, powered by West Indies captain Shai Hope's unbeaten 162. Rohit's 92 in that match — just eight runs short of a landmark — became the talking point that prompted Gavaskar's wider reflections on the opener's legacy.
What This Means for Rohit's Legacy
With the 2027 ODI World Cup potentially marking the end of Rohit Sharma's international career, the arithmetic of centuries versus age will only grow sharper as that tournament approaches. Gavaskar's commentary underscores how closely the cricket fraternity is monitoring not just Rohit's form but his place in the all-time pantheon of ODI run-scorers. Whether Rohit can widen the gap between his century tally and his age by the time he bows out remains one of the more compelling subplots of Indian cricket heading into the next global cycle.
Point of View
Shifting from pure aggression to innings-anchoring, is what makes the milestone realistic, but it also creates the tension Gavaskar is pointing at. The real story here is not the statistics but whether Rohit can sustain peak motivation across a four-year window with no IPL captaincy and patchy Test availability — the ODI stage may be his last consistent canvas.
NationPress
4 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Sunil Gavaskar disappointed by Rohit Sharma's 92 against West Indies?
Gavaskar was disappointed because Rohit fell eight runs short of an ODI century, missing an opportunity to move closer to a milestone Gavaskar prizes — retiring with more ODI hundreds than his age. Gavaskar believes Rohit may retire after the 2027 ODI World Cup, making every missed century significant.
What is the 'hundreds versus age' milestone Gavaskar is referring to?
It refers to the idea that a batter's international century tally should exceed his age at the time of retirement, indicating extraordinary longevity and consistency. Gavaskar himself narrowly missed the equivalent Test milestone, falling in the 90s three times in his final international year at age 38.
When could Rohit Sharma retire from international cricket?
According to Gavaskar, Rohit could potentially retire after the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027. No official retirement announcement has been made by Rohit Sharma.
What did Gavaskar say about Rohit's change in batting approach?
Gavaskar noted that Rohit has moved away from the all-out aggressive template he used in the 2023 ODI World Cup and now recognises the value of staying at the crease. He argued this evolution helps Rohit convert starts into centuries at a scoring rate of roughly 70-80 deliveries per hundred.
What was the result of the India vs West Indies ODI series?
India won the three-match ODI series 2-1. The West Indies won the final match by successfully chasing 352, with captain Shai Hope scoring an unbeaten 162.
