Rohit Sharma contemplated ODI retirement after India lost in the final match of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. It was such a shocking loss for India that it affected India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, to such an extent that he was shaken to his core. But lately, Rohit finally unhesitated and spoke his mind on his tough experiences in his life.
To start with, the 2023 World Cup was almost perfect for India. The team played without losing a single match in the tournament. Rohit led from the front. He provided quite impressive starts to his team in almost every match. However, everything changed with the arrival of the final match against Australia in Ahmedabad. India lost the final match, and with that, millions of dreams ended.
Rohit also talked about what happened after their defeat in the final and said he was disheartened by the experience. This was due to the significant impact the defeat had had on his mind, he said. In an apparent emotional moment, he disclosed that he was exhausted and empty inside. It was the day he wondered whether he wanted to play cricket anymore, he says. “I was broken, disheartened, my heartbreak was complete, it was like I was walking away from the game for good,” Rohit is alleged to have said.
In fact, Rohit added that all these thoughts were not sudden ones. These are the effects of emotional burnout. It is very challenging to lead a team in a home World Cup. The amount of pressure is immense. If the final target is not accomplished, the level of disappointment will increase. Therefore, retirement became an option in that situation.
But then, things slowly began to fall in place. With the passage of time, Rohit slowly healed. He did take a step back and think about his journey in the game. He realized one defeat in his entire life would not make his career what it was. And slowly, his passion for the sport did make him come back into the game.
Rohit now shifted the focus of his attention towards the challenges that awaited him next. He set the target of the next big event in his mind to be the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup and did not look back on the events that took place before that. The shifting of his mind and focus on the challenges ahead of him brought him the motivation he had lost.
In fact, this proves that this decision was in his best interest too. Rohit further led India to success in the T20 version of cricket, too. His composed approach and experience turned out to be a blessing for India once more. Fans admired his strength of character too.
However, his future in the ODI format has been widely discussed. With the upcoming World Cup in 2027, many fans are eager to know what the future holds for him. It really does not come as a surprise to see his age and workload being taken into consideration. Rohit Sharma has not made an official statement about his retirement in the ODI format.
Above all, Rohit added that though the thought did cross his mind, it was never the easy option. This is because Rohit feels that every cricketer is tested in this capacity. The important thing is what one does after a failure. In my situation, the decision was to strike back.
His honesty has also made him well-respected by fans as well as experts. Not very often does one see so many cricketers speaking about vulnerability and self-doubt. His admission has proven that legends do struggle behind the stage.
The point that emerges is that the thought of an ODI retirement crept into the mind of Rohit Sharma during one of the most turbulent periods in his career. Heartbreak did not blow thewhistle on his journey, however. It readied him all over again. And then he began afresh. For the moment, however, this marks the point from which the journey of Rohit Sharma continues.
