Indian cricket fans can rejoice! Captain Rohit Sharma has squashed rumors of retirement, expressing his desire to continue playing for several more years. In a recent interview, the modern-day legend, who took over the captaincy reins across formats in 2021, spoke about his passion for the game and his vision for the Men in blue.
Due to astute shrewdness on field, Rohit’s leadership has garnered praise. Under his captaincy, India reached the pinnacle of the 2023 ODI World Cup, narrowly missing out on the title against Australia. He has also led the team in the 2022 T20 World Cup and the 2021-2023 World Test Championship Final.
Hope to play a few years, says Rohit
Reflecting on his journey, Rohit stated, “It’s been a wonderful 17 years, and I still hope to play a few more and make an impact in World cricket.” He considers captaining India the ultimate honor, expressing his delight at leading the team.
More importantly, Rohit emphasized the importance of team unity. He believes that a team sport thrives when everyone contributes towards a common goal, not individual glory. “When I took over, I just wanted everyone to drive in one direction,” he declared at Dubai Eye 103.8 YouTube channel. “It’s not about personal milestones, but what all 11 of us can bring to the table and win the trophy.”
Rohit Sharma captaincy record for India
Format | Matches | Wins | Losses |
---|---|---|---|
Tests | 16 | 10 | 4 |
ODIs | 45 | 34 | 10 |
T20Is | 54 | 41 | 12 |
It is understatement that Rohit has always been a team player. His nuances of leading a team as a single unit was evident during the ODI World Cup 2023, where the Indian Team played like faction. The Men in Blue were determined to go all the way but fell short at the last hurdle.
One great aspect about Rohit’s captaincy has been his decision to back young players. The likes of Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi and Jitesh Sharma (among many) have all gotten regular game time under Rohit’s captaincy.
Unfortunately for him, Rohit’s dream of lifting a World Cup for Team India has not transpired into reality. However, the 37-year-old would be adamant in rewriting the script in what looks like his last hurray as a leader!