Ravichandran Ashwin slams BCCI selectors over Rohit Sharma’s ODI exit timing

Ravichandran Ashwin has publicly criticised the BCCI selectors for the timing of Rohit Sharma’s potential ODI exit, calling the delay unfair to the veteran opener and a burden on Virat Kohli.

What happened?

On 17 July 2026, Ravichandran Ashwin used his YouTube show *Ash ki Baat* to question why selectors waited so long to inform Rohit Sharma he won’t be part of India’s 2027 ODI World Cup plans. An Indian Express report claims Rohit was told privately, raising the chance his third ODI at Lord’s on Sunday could be his last in blue.

Why Ashwin’s words matter

Ashwin’s objection isn’t the decision but the timing. He argued the call should have come after the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy if selectors were sure. “In his last eight games, Rohit’s form has gone down: that can happen to any player,” Ashwin said. “My problem is with the Indian team itself. We’re going to South Africa in September-October. Do we need Rohit and Virat? If you ask me, I will want that experience.”

He added Yashasvi Jaiswal’s rise from below adds pressure, but a clear message years early would have spared everyone the mess. “Why have we let it come till August 2026 when only 10-12 months remain for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa?” he asked.

The knock-on effect for Virat Kohli

Ashwin warned the way Rohit’s exit was handled sends a message to Virat Kohli. “Players like Rohit and Virat deserve respect,” he said. “There are 12 months to go, and this is too late to make a call like this. And the way it is going on, Virat also has to be on top of his game, unfortunately.”

Ashwin stressed neither veteran earned this treatment. “They’ve given everything for Indian cricket,” he added. “The board owes them better.”

What comes next?

India face England in the third ODI at Lord’s on 19 July 2026. Rohit’s potential swansong looms, while Virat Kohli must absorb the fallout. Ashwin’s remarks add heat to a tour already thick with storyline stakes.

Rohit, 39, retired from Tests in 2025 and T20Is in 2024. An ODI exit would close the curtain on one of India’s most decorated careers.