Rohit's ODI consistency doubts surface despite brilliant century: 'Kohli highlights the physically demanding nature of the sport'

During the 2024/25 Test season, India captain Rohit Sharma struggled to find his feet, with an unimpressive average of just 10.93 in 15 innings. However, in the second ODI against England in Cuttack, Rohit showed no sign of struggle as he dominated their bowlers, achieving an outstanding 119 in 90 balls to secure a four-wicket victory for India. Despite this impressive performance, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has raised concerns about Rohit's long-term fitness, questioning whether or not he can sustain these phenomenal innings consistently in the future.

Manjrekar said that while Rohit's return to form is good news for India, he looked visibly drained towards the end of his knock. "You could see it took a lot out of him that inning. Fifty overs cricket can be physically very demanding for bowlers, fielders, and batters. Virat Kohli knows how physically draining it can be, and that is why his fitness level has allowed him to still get those hundreds by running the ones and twos," Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo.

'2019 and 2023 versions of Rohit Sharma both excellent for Indian cricket'

Popularly known as 'Hitman', Rohit was known for his tendency to accelerate wildly once he crossed 100 in ODI matches at his peak, which led to him scoring as many as three double centuries. In the last few years, however, he has changed his template to going hard from the beginning, which was crucial to India on their run to the 2023 World Cup final. While Rohit finished a calendar year with a strike rate above 100 in ODIs just once before 2021, He has gone at 114.22 in eight innings in 2022 and 117.07 in a whopping 27 ODIs in 2023. In 2024, he struck at 141.44 in three ODIs.

"Rohit Sharma had a different template where he didn't have to run too much. It was amazing how he got his second double hundred. But at this stage of his career, when you watched him go through the whole process and get that big hundred, he wanted it. Whether he can do it day in and day out like he did in 2019, we will have to wait and see. I have my doubts. But both versions of Rohit Sharma 2019 and 2023 are excellent for Indian cricket," said Manjrekar.

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