In an era where cricket has found various formats to enthrall its audience, the dream of holding aloft the ICC ODI World Cup trophy still serves as an unparalleled aspiration for Indian cricket team captain, Rohit Sharma. In a candid interaction on the Breakfast With Champions YouTube show, hosted by Gaurav Kapur with guest British singer Ed Sheeran, the seasoned cricketer spoke openly about his ambitions, past disappointments, and the road that lies ahead.
Rohit, who will soon be entering his late thirties, continues to be a formidable force in international cricket. His journey, adorned with remarkable achievements including being part of the team that clinched the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, took a regrettable turn when he was left out of the squad during India’s celebrated ODI World Cup triumph in 2011. A decade later, his sights are firmly set on leading the Men in Blue in the 2024 T20 World Cup come June, with no plans of hanging up his boots anytime soon.
When the topic of retirement surfaced, Rohit’s response was grounded and forward-looking. “I haven’t really thought about retirement,” Rohit Sharma admitted. “But, I don’t know where life takes you. I am playing well at the moment and I am thinking of continuing for a few more years. I really want to win that World Cup. The 50-over World Cup is the actual World Cup. We have grown up watching the 50-over World Cup. There is the World Test Championship final happening at Lord’s in 2025. Hopefully, we will make it there.”
Reminiscing about the heart-wrenching defeat dealt by Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, Sharma shared his and the team’s disappointments. Despite showcasing a series of commanding performances throughout the tournament, it was that one ill-fated day which saw the Indian team cede the trophy to their formidable opponents. “It was happening in India and we played well until that final,” Rohit reflected. “When we won the semifinal, I thought, we were just one step away from it (victory). I thought, what’s that one thing that can make us lose that final, and honestly, nothing came to my mind. We were all supposed to have one bad day and that I guess that was our bad day. We’d ticked all the boxes, we were playing good cricket, confidence was there. But that was one bad day and the Aussies had a very good day. I don’t think we played bad cricket in that final.”
However, the Indian captain is no stranger to resilience. The squad bounced back from the World Cup devastation with a rousing victory against England in a recent home Test series, concluding with an impressive 4-1 margin. Parallelly, in the Indian Premier League 2024, despite no longer shepherding the Mumbai Indians as captain, Rohit has been enjoying a rich vein of form with the bat.
The cricketing landscape is ever-changing, yet Rohit Sharma’s dedication to his sport and country remains steadfast. As fans and enthusiasts of the game, we watch with eager anticipation as one of India’s cricketing stalwarts forges ahead with the hope of capturing the most coveted prize in 50-over cricket—a title that has eluded him for over a decade, and one that would undeniably crown an illustrious career. With the curtain yet to draw on Rohit Sharma’s international career, the journey towards clinching that sublime glory continues with unwavering intent.
