All eyes on Rohit Sharma in the series decider at Lord’s | Cricket News

The mood inside the Indian dressing room must be hard to read right now. Pictures from London show the head coach Gautam Gambhir shared a laugh with Rohit Sharma in the Lord’s balcony on the eve of Sunday’s third ODI against England. However, they cannot hide the intense pressure that the team’s oldest player must be under to decide the series. The importance of the match goes beyond any other bilateral series. The outcome of this may influence the composition and planning of the team for the next 15 months.The team management and selection committee were ruthless in their decision last year, putting performance above a player’s size and reputation. However uncertainty persists over how Rohit fits into India’s plans for the ODI World Cup in South Africa.On Friday, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the 39-year-old “will continue to represent India as long as he is in the scheme of things”. However, it is clear that the choices and management want to improve Yashasvi Jaiswal as an alternative opener. Another unconvincing outing on Sunday could destroy Rohit’s hopes of playing in his fourth World Cup.After the England series, India’s next ODI is against West Indies in Trivandrum on Sept 27. Rohit looked uncomfortable against England’s bounce and movement. Since moving away from the other two formats, he has often found form late in a series, even at home.The official line within Indian cricket remains that there are some concerns about Rohit’s form. “Working with a new ball in front is difficult. We have seen that throughout the series. The ball is moving around. So batting in front, it is not easy. Rohit will do it no doubt,” said India’s fastbowling coach Morne Morkel at the pre-match press conference on Saturday.