Rohit Sharma, the former Indian cricket captain, has made an unexpected announcement that he considered retiring after India’s defeat by Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final as he “felt that the sport had taken everything out of him.” Under Sharma’s captaincy, India had a fantastic run during the tournament which was hosted by India and reached the finals with nine wins in a row. The defeat at the hands of Australia in the finals was notable, with Travis Head scoring a century that proved to be match-winning.
“I was totally devastated after the 2023 World Cup final and felt like I did not want to play this sport anymore because it had taken everything out of me and I felt I had nothing left,” said Rohit at a Masters Union event.
“It took me time and I kept reminding myself that this is what I really love, that it was right in front of me, and I couldn’t let it go so easily. Little by little, I found my way back, getting the energy back and getting myself moving again on the field.
“The whole group was extremely disappointed and we just couldn’t believe what had happened. It was a very difficult period for me personally because I had given everything for that World Cup not just two or three months before but since I became captain in 2022,” he added.
Rohit, who has already retired from T20Is, Tests, and was replaced as captain in ODIs earlier this year, is still playing the 50-over format and wants to end his career with another shot at the 2027 World Cup.
“Winning the World Cup was my only aim, regardless of whether it was the T20 World Cup or the 2023 World Cup. So when it didn’t happen, I was thoroughly shocked. My body was drained of all strength. It took me two or three months to heal and get back to normal,” spoke Rohit.
Not even a year after that defeat to Australia in Ahmedabad, Rohit took the Indian team to the T20 World Cup title in the Americas, but it was very hard to get over the loss in November, 2023.
“When you pour so much into something and the outcome is not what you expected, it is a very normal reaction, I guess. And that was precisely what went on with me. However, I also realized that life does not end there.
“It was a significant lesson for me how to cope with disappointment, reset, and start over. I realized that the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies was the ‘something else’ and I had to concentrate all my energy on that.”
“It’s very easy to say this now, but at that point, it was really tough,” Rohit recounted.