
India were put into bat in the second match of the series. Shubman Gill provided a good start but a flurry of wickets and India's batting collapse sparked a massive debate on X, with fans expressing frustration over another underwhelming batting display. Rohit Sharma and wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan found themselves at the centre of criticism after disappointing outings. Rohit, who got off to a steady start, failed to capitalise after spending time at the crease. His dismissal once again triggered discussions over his recent returns in ODI cricket, with several users questioning whether the veteran opener can continue leading India's batting heading into the 2027 World Cup.
A few fans posted that Rohit had consumed too many dot balls before getting out and called it a "poor knock", while others remarked that if the Indian skipper was truly "selfless", he should make way for younger players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal. A section of supporters even revived retirement calls, claiming India should start preparing for the future rather than relying on senior players.
Rohit Sharma in 2026 Inngs : 8 Runs : 241 Avg : 30.12 SR : 88.6 50s : 1 ๐๐ pic.twitter.com/afKvlVQuUd
โ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐ (@Shebas_10dulkar) July 16, 2026
Rohit Sharma in the last 8 ODI matches : 26(29), 24(38), 11(13), 16(16), 48(39), 79(69), 11(21), 26(47) How is this guy getting consistent chances to choke?
โ ๐๐จ๐ก๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ!๐๐ง_๐๐ฉ (@bholination) July 16, 2026
Rohit Sharma first boundary (4) - 2.6 pe Rohit Sharma next & last boundary (6) - 11.4 pe He was at 11 at the end of powerplay. Played 8 dots balls before got out at 26(47) ๐คฆโโ๏ธ Shubman Gill has to do the heavy lifting which ultimately led him to be caught out since all theโฆ https://t.co/C2bPmRIWcW pic.twitter.com/kS9mX3t6kY
โ Naina Dev (@NainaDev380254) July 16, 2026
Ishan Kishan got out on 1 (8) pic.twitter.com/XE0eZJrJzC
โ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐ (@Shebas_10dulkar) July 16, 2026
However, not everyone agreed with the criticism. Several fans backed Rohit, insisting that he still looked comfortable at the crease and only needed one big innings to get back into form. Others urged patience, hoping the opener would respond with a century in the series decider.
๐จ NEXT MATCH DO OR DIE MATCH FOR ROHIT SHARMA ๐จ - Every series is a Do or die for Rohit Sharma, flopped in first two ODI. Next match is the big match for Rohit. - Yashasvi Jaiswal smashedctwo hundred in last three ODI & ready for replaced Rohit. pic.twitter.com/4JCv1hX1i0
โ VIKAS (@Vikas662005) July 16, 2026
CSK blood Sam Curran silencing Ishan Kishan after taking his wicket. ๐คซ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/HT9Fq5gG7Y
โ Abhishek Kumar (@Abhishek060722) July 16, 2026
One bad innings can happen to anyone. Itโs okay if Rohit Sharma was struggling everyone has bad days. We shouldnโt start questioning him because of one poor innings. Even if he plays 10 innings like this, my support for Rohit will remain the same. I have complete faith that heโllโฆ pic.twitter.com/hCuyiixYrx
โ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ข๐ขโดโต (@rushiii_12) July 16, 2026
Ishan Kishan fails on comeback as India stutter
Ishan Kishan on his comeback endured another forgettable outing after managing just one run off eight deliveries. His dismissal added to concerns over his form, with many users pointing out that he has repeatedly struggled against the short ball during the ongoing England tour.
Indian WKs in this ODI Series 1 (3) - KL Rahul (1st ODI) 1 (8) - Ishan Kishan (2nd ODI)*#INDvsENG
โ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐ (@Shebas_10dulkar) July 16, 2026
Ishan Kishan gone to short ball once again, it is his 7th failure on this UK tour as he departs for 1(8). Why are you tinkering with your number 4? It took us 10 years to find a replacement of Yuvraj at 4 & Shreyas solidify that position, let him bat at his position FGS!! pic.twitter.com/MqbIniAH5X
โ Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) July 16, 2026
Some fans questioned India's decision to alter the batting order, arguing that Shreyas Iyer should continue batting at No. 4 instead of making unnecessary changes. Others shared statistics highlighting Ishan's recent returns in white-ball cricket, suggesting that he has failed to make the most of the opportunities given to him. Comparisons were also drawn with KL Rahul after both Indian wicketkeepers registered single-digit scores in the first two ODIs of the series.
While Rohit and Ishan received the majority of the criticism, many fans felt it was unfair to single out individuals. They pointed out that India's middle order once again failed to build on a promising platform, turning a strong position into a disappointing batting performance. India look to post a competitive total. India are leading the series 1-0.



