IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma's Cuttack ODI century a knock of grit, grace and timely redemption

In January 2017, at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni rolled back the years with a stunning 256-run partnership against England in an One-Day International (ODI). Their knocks of 150 and 134, respectively, reassured the Indian team management that the two senior pros still had the firepower to contribute meaningfully, just months before the Champions Trophy.

Seven years later, on the same ground, Rohit Sharma produced a similarly significant century , not just to reaffirm his credentials as India’s premier ODI batter but also to silence the doubts that had gathered around his career.

Rohit Sharma’s ton in Cuttack is more than just a century 

This hundred in Cuttack was more than just another addition to Rohit’s long list of ODI milestones . It was a knock that reinstated his dominance in the format, reminded the cricketing world of his unmatched ability in white-ball cricket, and—perhaps most importantly—provided the Indian team with a sense of security ahead of another Champions Trophy. With questions lingering about his form in Test cricket, his future as captain and even murmurs about his retirement post the tournament, Rohit needed an innings like this.

As It Happened |  India vs England, 2nd ODI in Cuttack

The last six months had been a tumultuous period for the Indian captain. Since leading India to a heartbreaking home Test series whitewash against New Zealand, he had endured a forgettable Border-Gavaskar Trophy, culminating in the unprecedented decision to drop himself from the playing XI for the final Test in Sydney.

He has already retired from T20Is and with the 2027 ODI World Cup still a distant two years away, speculation about his future in ODIs was inevitable. The selectors had reportedly asked him about his post-Champions Trophy plans , adding more weight to the swirling uncertainty.

Then came the first ODI against England in Nagpur, where Rohit fell for just 2. The chatter grew louder. Was this a sign of decline? Could India afford to persist with a captain struggling for form? The answers arrived emphatically in the second ODI.

In a chase of 305, Rohit displayed the full repertoire of his ODI mastery. From the outset, he looked determined to make a statement. His 136-run opening stand with Shubman Gill laid the perfect foundation, and his shot selection exuded confidence.

A significant innings for Rohit Sharma 

There were sixes that evoked memories of his prime—pristine lofted drives, controlled pulls and delicate late cuts. The innings was not just about power but also about his trademark elcegence. Having struggled against the Australian seamers in the Test series, he finally showed adaptability in Cuttack, using the surface to his advantage and countering their tactics with clinical precision.

It was not just another Rohit Sharma hundred; it was an innings of immense significance. His first international century since March 2024, this knock restored faith in his batting ability, both for the team and for himself. For all his consistency in ODIs, Rohit had gone 38 innings with just two centuries. The talk of him being “selfless” as a captain, often sacrificing personal milestones for team strategy, had taken hold.

But this was an innings that blended aggression with a bit more responsibility, the kind that made him one of the most feared openers in the world.

“I really broke it [the chase] down into pieces about how I wanted to bat,” Rohit said while talking about his knock, in the post-match presentation while collecting his Player-of-the-Match award. “It’s a 50-over format, a little longer than T20 format and a little shorter than Test cricket obviously - a lot shorter than Test cricket - but obviously you still need to break it down and assess what you need to do at regular intervals and that is what I kept doing. It was important for a batter who gets set, needs to bat as deep as possible and that was my focus.”

“Once I got into my innings, I understood what they were trying to do: bowling into our body and trying to not give any room, keeping it on the stumps. And that’s where I prepared my plan as well, what I wanted to do with those kinds of deliveries, trying to access the gaps which were there. It’s about understanding what you want to do as a batter,” he further added.

The statistical impact of his knock was staggering. Since taking over as full-time ODI captain in February 2022, Rohit had transformed India’s approach to limited-overs cricket. He had led from the front, scoring at a strike rate of 118.95—far superior to the collective average of Indian openers during this period. In the last two years, no batter had hit more sixes in ODIs than Rohit. This knock further reinforced his unique ability to dictate terms in this format.

Beyond the numbers, however, was the psychological impact of this century. It provided a much-needed boost to Rohit’s confidence, both as a batter and as a leader on the field, ahead of the Champions Trophy. The tournament, set to begin on 19 February, will likely be his final ICC event as captain, and he will need every ounce of belief to lead India to glory.

His struggles in Test cricket had undoubtedly taken a toll, and this innings served as a timely reminder that in ODIs, he is still the same old Rohit Sharma—dominant, composed and relentless.

This hundred also quelled, at least temporarily, discussions about his future. When a batter as accomplished as Rohit starts to fail consistently, the noise becomes deafening. Every dismissal is scrutinised, every failure is magnified.

But innings like this have the power to shift narratives. Suddenly, the questions about his future can take a backseat. The focus, for now, is on his leadership in the Champions Trophy and how far he can take India in the tournament.

Just as that Yuvraj-Dhoni partnership in 2017 reassured Indian cricket before a major ICC event, Rohit’s century in 2025 does the same. It tells India that their captain still has plenty to offer. It tells his critics that he is not done yet. And most importantly, it tells Rohit  himself that he is still the giant of the ODI format, capable of scripting match-winning knocks when it matters most.

For all the speculation about his future, one thing is certain—Rohit will leave the game on his terms. And if this century in Cuttack is any indication, that moment is not here yet.