Asked specifically whether Rohit will be announcing his retirement, Gill said: “We have not had a chance. He has not told us anything. I think it’s probably in the media. Not been in discussion at all.”

And then he went on to speak about Rohit’s innings, where he scored his first century at Lord’s to make it to the honours board. “I think the way Rohit bhai faced the bowlers, he was very calm. Most of the time, I was a non-striker, and watching him, he was very calm. In the powerplay, we were talking about whether to go for a hit or not, but we saw that hitting with a new ball is not that easy. And I think the way he faced the bowlers, and the way he accelerated, I think he got close to 60-70 in quick time. So, he was very calm,” Gill added.

Earlier, in an interaction with the host broadcasters Gill praised both Rohit and Virat Kohli, who scored 74 off 60. “I mean, they have done really well over the years in different parts of the world. And very, very pleased with how Rohit Bhai batted today, especially getting 140. And I think the wicket got a little bit slow in the end. It wasn’t easy to hit those runs. But I think the way he batted was really a treat to watch,” he said.

When Thakur was part of the Indian team was referred as the ‘Lord Thakur’ by his team mates. Hailing from the same school as Sharma, the all-rounder knew the Indian opener since childhood days. And the duo have played all of their top flight domestic cricket with Mumbai and have even shared the dressing room in the IPL with the Mumbai Indians.

The hundred came at a special time for Mumbai’s veteran batsman at the historic venue. The suspense around his future might continue till India’s next assignment in September unless there is an official word. But with an emphatic century at Lord’s in the third ODI, Sharma showed he isn’t going anywhere without a fight. If there is anyone waiting to take his spot, the call should come from the selectors. Chasing 388, more than Rohit, it was a knock that India needed badly. As he slog swept Adil Rashid for a boundary off the 84th delivery he faced, there were no animated gestures or over the top celebrations. He pumped the fists, embraced Virat Kohli, who uttered a few words in his ears which brought out a smile and out came the bat, pointing to the dressing room and to his family in the stands.

The century was not enough as India fell short by 27 runs giving England the ODI series 2-1.