Industrialist Harsh Goenka on Saturday joined the debate over Rohit Sharma's ODI future with a cryptic post on social media, even as the BCCI dismissed speculation that the India captain could be playing his final ODI.
Goenka's post comes amid reports claiming that the Indian selection committee could be looking beyond the veteran opener after the ongoing ODI series against England.
The RPG Enterprises Chairman shared a Hindi post that read: "'RoKo' bhaiya! 'Agar kar' raha hai koi gadbad, yeh 'Gambhir' baat hai. Jo isko sahi raaste mein laayega uski 'Jay'jaykar hogi!"
While he did not name anyone, fans interpreted it as a wordplay on the ongoing retirement speculation surrounding Rohit Sharma.
Here's how the wordplay breaks down:
RoKo' – The popular nickname for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.'Agar kar' – A reference to BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar. 'Gambhir' – Referring to India head coach Gautam Gambhir while also meaning "serious" in Hindi.'Jay' – Seen as a reference to BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, implying the person who can set things right.
The post quickly went viral, drawing mixed reactions from fans. While some praised Goenka's wit, others believed it reflected the uncertainty surrounding Rohit's future in the ODI side.
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has firmly rejected reports suggesting Rohit Sharma has been informed that the third ODI against England at Lord's would be his final international match.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia clarified the board's position, saying, "I want to firmly assert that there has been no such discussion that Rohit will be playing his last match at Lord's. Rohit is a regular member of the ODI team and will continue to play as long as he is in the scheme of things."
The BCCI also dismissed media reports claiming that final decisions had been taken regarding the futures of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, reiterating that both remain regular members of India's ODI setup and that no communication has been made about their exclusion from the team.
