Sanjay Manjrekar questions Rohit Sharma’s consistency despite century in 2nd ODI against England

Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar has questioned Rohit Sharma’s consistency at the top level despite the Indian skipper scoring a fine hundred in the second ODI against England. Rohit scored a magnum opus knock of 119 runs off just 90 balls while chasing 305 runs against the visitors at Cuttack on Sunday.

Rohit completed his 32nd ODI century as he batted at his absolute best and answered his critics in style as he was under the pump for his poor form in the recent past.

However, Manjrekar said Rohit would need to perform consistently and a one-off knock will not put paid to his recent form concerns. The former Indian batter also questioned Rohit Sharma’s fitness and said it is going to be challenging for him to keep scoring big runs in 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,” Manjrekar said on ESPN Cricinfo.

“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.”

The final and third ODI between India and England will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Wednesday.