4 min readUpdated: Jul 19, 2026 01:30 PM IST
Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has said there should be clear communication from the selectors to senior players like Rohit Sharma about their future, amid speculation of the 39-year-old’s retirement after the third and final ODI against England at Lord’s on Sunday.
Karthik felt that senior players deserved to finish well, but admitted that there were no guaranteed fairytale endings in sport.
“It will need a lot of communication, a lot of clarity, and it’s not easy. Then you have the players themselves, who are obviously making a mark with every game they play. In every tournament they go to, they perform so well, and it is not easy to keep them out,” he told Wisden’s “The Scoop” podcast.
“But having said all of that, there is a way in which some of the seniors will want to finish, and I do wish they are given that opportunity because of what they’ve achieved for the country. But in saying that, it is not the easiest thing to achieve because sometimes not all fairy tales have a happy ending,” he added.
The 41-year-old sympathised with chief selector Ajit Agarkar, admitting that it was not easy to decide between having one of the finest white-ball players in the team and blooding in one of the future superstars with just over a year to go for the ODI World Cup.
“Right now, India is at a place where no other cricketing nation is. The number of cricketers that could fill up spots across the XI for any player is obviously the highest it has ever been, and it is definitely the highest right now among any cricketing nation.”
“So, there is going to be pressure for every player involved, and that’s what makes playing for the country right now so much more difficult. As a selector as well, it’s not easy. If you’re sitting in Ajit Agarkar’s chair, to weigh the possibility of having a current superstar or one that could be a superstar in a few years, we’re talking about some of the greatest that have played the game,” Karthik said.
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The 2007 T20 World Cup winner said that regardless of when and where Sharma finished his career, his legacy as one of India’s greatest white-ball players was unquestionable.
“Irrespective of whenever he [Rohit] finishes, I do feel he’s been one of India’s greatest white-ball cricketers. The kind of attitude he’s brought to the table, and the kind of memories he’s created on and off the field with so many players, is what will keep him smiling for the rest of his life,” he said.
Ahead of the third and final ODI on Sunday, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has expressed confidence in Sharma overcoming his lean run and figuring out a way to score runs.
“It is hard work with a new ball up front. We’ve seen throughout the series that the ball is moving around. Batting up front is not easy. No doubt Rohit will work it out.”
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“He has done it in the past, he is experienced. And he just brings that calmness to the batting line-up. So without a doubt, no worries and concerns at all with the way he is going about things,” he said.
