Rohit Sharma, 39 years young, sends Lord's crowd wild with electric diving effort: Watch
Rohit Sharma arrived at Lord’s with questions swirling around his future, but on Sunday, the veteran opener reminded everyone why he remains one of Indian cricket’s biggest stars. The 39-year-old rolled back the years with a breathtaking effort in the field that brought the iconic venue to life during the series-deciding third ODI against England.
India vs England, 3rd ODI: Updates | Scorecard
The moment came on the very first ball of the 42nd over. Arshdeep Singh banged in a short-of-a-length delivery outside off stump, and Joe Root punched it sweetly through the covers. With the ball racing towards the boundary, Rohit sprinted across from deep point and launched himself full stretch to his right, somehow preventing a certain four.
The stop saved two crucial runs and immediately sparked chants of “Rohit, Rohit” from the packed Lord’s crowd. It was an extraordinary sight from a player who has often found himself at the centre of fitness debates, with fans and teammates alike applauding the skipper’s commitment and athleticism.
The diving effort capped an impressive day in the field for Rohit, who had earlier produced another crucial contribution. Jacob Bethell, batting fluently on 91 and eyeing a maiden ODI century, looked to take on Prasidh Krishna with a pull shot towards deep square leg. However, the England batter found Rohit stationed perfectly near the boundary as the Indian veteran completed a comfortable catch to end a superb innings.
Bethell’s dismissal denied the left-hander a deserved hundred and gave India a much-needed breakthrough in an innings dominated by England’s batters.
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Rohit’s heroics in the field came amid intense speculation surrounding his ODI future. Reports earlier this week claimed that the third ODI at Lord’s could be his final appearance for India, with selectors looking ahead to the 2027 World Cup.
The BCCI was quick to dismiss those rumours, with secretary Devajit Saikia insisting that the veteran opener was not set to retire after the England series.
Despite modest scores of 11 and 26 in the first two matches, Rohit ensured that he remained the centre of attention at the Home of Cricket. For a player nearing 40, the full-length dive served as a timely reminder that age is just a number.
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