Rohit's reminder that he can't be written off easily

This was only the second time in the last five years that Rohit Sharma has batted 100 balls or more in an ODI innings. Most of this is his captaincy era, a period in which he took on a different role, that of a hyper-attacking batter around whom Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli could accumulate runs. The number of hundreds came down - this was only Rohit's fourth in the last five years - but Travis Head is the only opener in this period to have both averaged higher and scored quicker than his 47.65 and 111.09.

The two times that Rohit has batted 100 balls in this period are the 2023 World Cup match against England and this one. Lucknow was a difficult pitch, and this has come at the end of a difficult series in early-season conditions in Australia.

If Lucknow was an impromptu adjustment to the conditions before he went back to blazing starts, this was an organic progression through the course of the series. In Perth, where the bowlers enjoyed both seam and bounce, Rohit still tried to impose himself on the game and failed. In Adelaide, where the bounce settled down but the ball still seamed appreciably, Rohit tried a bit of everything. He played two successive maidens from Josh Hazlewood, tried unsuccessfully to charge the seamers, and then fought through to top-score with 73 off 97.

This 121 not out, in the face of a modest target (237) in the best but still not flat batting conditions of the series, was the return of the vintage Rohit, who mastered the template of big ODI innings from 2013 to 2019. Broadly, it involved a watchful start against two new balls, risk-free accumulation from overs 11 to 30 and then an almighty explosion that few had any counter for. In Sydney, he didn't need that almighty acceleration phase because the target didn't call for it, but Rohit had put himself in a position to aim for it.

In a slightly emotional interview with Adam Gilchrist and Ravi Shastri later, Rohit, almost certain to not play any more international cricket in Australia, spoke of "a lot of good memories, bad memories" in the country. One of the bad ones has to be earlier this year at this same venue, when he, as the captain of the Test side, dropped himself for the series decider never to be selected again.

Having retired from T20Is already, Rohit now had only one format to stay active in, a format that is played the least these days. There were doubts about how he would stay in touch with the game, not just in the present moment but also for two years down the line when the ODI World Cup takes place in South Africa, when he will be 40 years old.

On the evidence of this series, the game seems to be in good order, although the one real test for every limited-overs batter is when batting first on a flat track. In tough conditions, Rohit set the base for a competitive total in Adelaide. In a modest chase in Sydney, he showed how regulation he can make scoring an international century look.

The ease with which he scored 121 at about a-run-a-ball is a reminder of what has made him the third-highest centurion in ODIs. A reminder that over the last five years he hadn't lost that ability but just played a role that the team needed him to play at that time.

If the selectors and team management were looking for signs to make their decisions on, they will have learnt very little. Rohit has shown what was never under doubt even though he might have carried some ring rust.

His next assignment with India will be in a month's time, a break much more manageable than the seven months he has had off since the Champions Trophy. A less sporadic schedule without being completely packed will be ideal for Rohit at this age. For now, he has shown he can't be written off so easily. Let's then strap in and get along on the ride.