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Rohit Sharma, the experienced Indian opener, failed to perform as expected during the New Zealand three-match ODI series. The 38-year-old scored just 61 runs with a low average of 20.33 and a strike rate of 76.25 over the three matches.

 

His disappointing performances were a significant reason for India losing the series in a surprising manner 1-2 after winning the first game. Even though Rohit is still in the top three ODI batsmen of the ICC, his difficult patch against the Kiwis has led to discussions about his future among followers and experts.

 

The aging process is taking its toll and he is only participating in ODIs now, thus the worries about the star batter came back on social media. Although Rohit has impressive credentials as an Odi player, a lot of people are concerned that his lack of form might affect India adversely in the long run. To calm the fears of the Indian cricket fans, we will consider three main points that support the argument.

 

A blip considering Rohit’s recent good ODI form:

 

If Rohit’s substandard series against New Zealand were to extend, India would have a lot to be concerned about. Nevertheless, that wasn’t the scenario before the ODIs against the Kiwis. The ex-captain kicked off the series with a great performance and put the skeptics to rest during his first India appearance since Test retirement with a wonderful ODI series in Australia in October 2025. Rohit accumulated 202 runs at an average of more than 100, hitting both a fifty and a century in three matches.

 

Even though India lost the three-match series 1-2, Rohit was still awarded Player of the Series. Then, Rohit had another impressive ODI series against South Africa, scoring two fifties in three innings. Before the New Zealand series, the right-hander participated in two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches for Mumbai and made a quick-fire 155 against Sikkim.

 

Considering his recent showings, these were just a small hiccup and the cricketer does not appear to be undergoing any undue mental discord.

 

The ‘Been there, done that’ Player:

 

Normally, three consecutive failures sound the alarm except for a veteran like Rohit Sharma, of course. The 38-year-old has seen his ups and downs like this before, some of them even worse, and still, he has come back with performances that won matches in ODIs.

 

It is a common misconception that Rohit made his way into the ODI team with three unflattering seasons, only later to be transformed into a dominant player in that format. He has faced a number of other downtimes but has always come back stronger than before.

 

Averaging less than 13 in 14 matches in 2012 and just 30 in three matches in 2021 are among the most noteworthy instances. He, however, came back powerfully during the years 2013 and 2022, averaging 52 and 41.50, respectively. The past and the elite ODI record of Rohit indicate that the star batsman will make a remarkable comeback after this three-match slump.

 

Read also: Kohli and Kuldeep Visits Ujjain Temple Ahead of Decisive India vs NZ ODI

 

Runs, not form, held Rohit back against NZ:

 

There is a significant distinction between a batter who is out of form and one who only needs runs. Rohit Sharma without a doubt is the latter in terms of the ODI series against New Zealand.

 

The experienced opener did not fail to get a start or appear rusty in any of the three matches. Rohit was in double digits every time, passing 20 in the first two games. However, he got out while trying to quicken the scoring and could not convert those starts in all three matches.

 

None of his getting out indicated a batter who is having trouble with his rhythm or timing. It was only his shot execution that let him down, which means India's charismatic opener is not someone they need to panic about.