Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has raised serious questions over Rohit Sharma’s inclusion in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming series against Afghanistan, arguing that the selectors should instead focus on younger players ahead of the next ODI World Cup.
Speaking to Sportstar, Manjrekar expressed concern over Rohit’s recent fitness issues and form, stating that the veteran opener’s continued presence may be blocking opportunities for emerging players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan.
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Rohit struggled with injuries during IPL 2026 and reportedly missed five matches because of a hamstring problem. According to Manjrekar, these recurring fitness concerns, combined with inconsistent form, make his selection difficult to justify when India has younger batters performing strongly in domestic and international cricket.
Manjrekar strongly backed Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored an unbeaten 116 against South Africa in December 2025 but has since found himself out of India’s ODI plans. Despite being included in the squad for the New Zealand series earlier, Jaiswal did not get an opportunity to play.
The former cricketer also highlighted Sai Sudharsan’s impressive performances at the top of the order for India. He pointed out that Sudharsan had already scored multiple half-centuries in limited opportunities and deserved an extended run in the team.
According to Manjrekar, India’s future ODI top order should consist of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Yashasvi Jaiswal, all of whom he described as ideal modern-day 50-over batters. He questioned the vision behind overlooking younger in-form players while continuing to rely on experienced stars nearing the latter stages of their careers.
While criticising Rohit Sharma’s inclusion, Manjrekar drew a distinction between him and Virat Kohli. He stated that Kohli still has enough consistency, fitness and value to contribute to India’s ODI setup, whereas Rohit no longer fits into the long-term roadmap.
Manjrekar also suggested that if selectors felt compelled to retain Rohit in the squad, they at least owed an explanation to younger players who had delivered strong performances but continued to miss opportunities.
The comments come amid increasing debate over India’s transition strategy in white-ball cricket, especially with the ODI World Cup only a year away. While experience remains important, the discussion around balancing youth and seniority in India’s batting line-up is expected to intensify in the coming months.
