Rohit Sharma's ODI Form Slumps: India Star's Powerplay Strike Rate Drops 36 Runs per Hundred Balls

Rohit Sharma's powerplay strike rate has plummeted from 122.57 to 86.13 since October 2025, sparking intense scrutiny over his place in the Indian team ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

What happened?

A graphic shared by Cricbuzz laid bare the stark reality of Rohit's decline, contrasting his powerplay output across two periods: from January 2023 up to the 2025 Champions Trophy and everything since October 2025.

Why it matters for Rohit Sharma

Rohit's laboured 11 from 21 balls at Edgbaston reignited a debate that has followed India's veteran opener for months. As fans called for his retirement and for Yashasvi Jaiswal to take his place, the numbers behind his recent decline came sharply into focus.

Rohit built his modern ODI reputation on tearing into the new ball, yet the aggressive powerplay opener who defined India's approach appears to have vanished, replaced by a far more cautious version of himself.

The numbers behind Rohit Sharma's decline

Between January 2023 and the Champions Trophy, Rohit was among the most destructive openers in world cricket. Across 36 innings, he plundered 1,146 runs from 935 balls at an average of 67.41, striking at a blistering 122.57 with a powerplay boundary percentage of 20.9.

The picture since October 2025 is dramatically different. In 13 innings, Rohit has scored 267 runs from 310 balls, a return that reflects both reduced output and a sharply slower tempo at the top of the order for India. His strike rate has collapsed from 122.57 to just 86.13, a fall of more than 36 runs per hundred balls.

What comes next?

The context makes the slump difficult to dismiss. Rohit turns 39 this year, plays only ODI cricket for India, and is building towards a 2027 World Cup in conditions where a quick start against the new ball carries enormous value for the side. His defenders will point to his steady average and to a stellar career record, including a fifty in his final ODI against Afghanistan.

Yet the trend is the concern rather than any single innings. An opener whose entire value was built on fearless powerplay batting is now among the slowest in that phase, and with Jaiswal scoring heavily and waiting, the pressure on Rohit will only intensify from here on out.

And with the 2027 World Cup on the horizon, Rohit's place in the Indian team will be under the microscope like never before.