Rohit Sharma: ‘Imagine if we’d won the final against Australia as well to go undefeated in three ICC tournaments’ | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: Reflecting on India’s incredible run in ICC tournaments, Rohit Sharma highlighted the team’s resilience over the past nine months, navigating cricket’s highs and lows. Under his leadership, India won the ICC Champions Trophy and the T20 World Cup, but the only blemish was the heartbreaking defeat to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
“Look at what this team has achieved in these three big tournaments. After playing like that and losing only once, and that too in a final, it’s crazy,” Rohit said in a video posted by Mumbai Indians on their X (formerly Twitter) handle. “But imagine if we had won that as well to go undefeated in three ICC tournaments! 23 wins in 24 games is unheard of. It looks great from the outside, but this team has gone through a lot of ups and downs.”
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Overcoming challenges and changing Mindset
Rohit credited India’s success to the shift in mindset that began after their semifinal exit in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. The team focused on clarity, fearless cricket, and collective responsibility.
“We made it clear to the players—this is what we expect, this is how we want you to play. There needs to be freedom among the group so they go out and perform without fear. Even when we had a few lows, losing some series, we never panicked or deviated from our approach,” he said.
Interestingly, Rohit’s remarks came on the day when BCCI’s top brass was set to discuss India’s future roadmap—though the meeting was later postponed.
The journey was not without setbacks. In between the three ICC tournaments, India lost a rare home Test series to New Zealand and struggled in Australia. But Rohit saw these challenges as learning experiences.
“These nine months are a perfect example of how life is — it’s always going to be up and down. Any sportsman going through a low wants to fight back, bounce back, and turn things around. And that’s exactly what we did,” he reflected.
A tough IPL and a fitting T20 farewell
Rohit also opened up about his disappointing 2024 IPL season, where Mumbai Indians finished last. Despite the setback, he remained focused on the bigger picture — ending his T20I career on a high.
“I knew there was a World Cup coming up, and I had to shift my focus. Knowing it was going to be my last T20 World Cup, I really wanted to make it count. And obviously, without the support of my teammates, it wouldn’t have been possible,” he said.
India went on to defeat South Africa by 7 runs in Barbados, securing the T20 World Cup title.
A career of highs and lows: Rohit Sharma’s journey
“My career for 17-18 years has always been up and down, and these nine months were no different,” Rohit admitted.
Speaking about his journey with Mumbai Indians, he acknowledged the changes over the years — switching from a middle-order batter to an opener, stepping down as captain, and seeing former teammates transition into coaching roles.
“But my mindset hasn’t changed. What I want to do for this team hasn’t changed—to go out there, win games, and lift trophies. That’s what MI has been known for all these years.”
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