New Delhi: Rohit Sharma etched his name in Indian cricket history again on Sunday as he led the team to victory in the Champions Trophy 2025, becoming India’s second-most successful cricket captain after Mahendra Singh Dhoni. But, his journey has been far from smooth. The Indian skipper has faced intense scrutiny, trolls, and body shaming, but has consistently worked tirelessly behind the scenes.
Known for his frankness, Rohit recently addressed rumours about his retirement, promptly debunking them. As he continues to defy expectations, the question remains: what’s next for this Indian cricketer and where does he fit further in the scheme of things?
Rohit’s emotions were running high after India’s Champions Trophy triumph when sports journalist Vimal Kumar posed a question. Asked if he ranked the Champions Trophy and T20 World Cup victories equally with the elusive ODI World Cup, Rohit’s response was characteristically candid. “One-day World Cup is one-day World Cup,” he said with a smile. “I said what I said because we grew up aiming for the ODI World Cup and understand its importance.”
His expression then shifted to his signature nonchalance, as he gestured towards the Champions Trophy sitting beside him. “Isme koi kami nahi hai,” he said with a smirk, implying that the trophy was no less significant. The room filled with laughter, as he added, “You ask me how much ‘woh‘ (effort) goes into winning this.” Rohit’s ability to effortlessly shift from sincerity to humour had once again won over the press room.
Later, he went on to clear the air on the talks about his retirement. “I’m not retiring, don’t spread rumours!”
On the ‘front’ foot
By winning the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup and now the Champions Trophy, Rohit didn’t only contribute to bringing Indian cricket back to winning ways in International Cricket Council (ICC) events, but he also revived his own fortunes. Rohit found himself in a tough spot earlier this year when India lost the Border-Gavaskar series 3-1 in Australia.
The star batsman was barely connecting with anything and only managed to score 31 runs throughout the series, even lower than pacer Akash Deep, who managed 38 runs. His slump raised questions about the potential impact of the captain’s form on leadership.
Rumours of potential retirement began circulating, but he promptly put those speculations to rest. In a candid interview with broadcaster JioStar, Rohit addressed the uncertainty that had arisen after he dropped himself from the playing XI for the fifth and final Test in Sydney.
“This is not a decision of retirement. I am not moving away from this game. But I took a decision to step away from this game because I was not able to score runs with the bat. There is no guarantee that I will score runs 2 months or 5 months from now. I have seen a lot of cricket, every minute, every second and everyday life changes. I believe that things will change but at the same time, I have to be realistic as well. People sitting in the commentary box, or writing with a laptop in their hands, will not decide how my life goes,” Rohit had said.
“I have played the game for so long, that they will not decide when I play, how I play, when I captain, or when I step down. I am a sensible person, a mature person, father of 2 kids, I have some brain, and I know what I want from my life,” he said, considering his ODI debut took place in 2007.
When the time came to bid goodbye from T20Is, he did it on his own terms: right after India’s triumph in the 2024 World Cup campaign. However, in his characteristically candid self, Rohit told reporters that he wasn’t quite in the “mood” to retire just yet.
“I was not in the mood to retire from T20Is. But the situation has arisen, that I thought, this is the perfect situation for me and nothing better than winning the cup and saying goodbye.”
The big question
While Rohit has been forthcoming about his desire to play for India ad infinitum, his seasoned age of 37 has raised questions about his consistency as a batter and whether he remains a valuable asset to the team with the bat.
Rohit played a crucial knock of 76 runs in the final against New Zealand, a key contribution to India’s Champions Trophy triumph. Understanding that the pitch would slow down as the game progressed, with Kiwi spinners coming into play, Rohit capitalised on the opportunity, showing how his game-reading skills are still undeniable as seen in India’s back-to-back ICC titles.
However, his primary role as a batter has undergone changes. Over the past two years, Rohit has embraced an aggressive approach, playing fearless cricket at the top of the order. While this mindset has brought greater rewards in some cases, it has also come with increased risk, compromising his consistency as a batter.
His recent form has been a mixed bag. If his last 10 innings in ODI is scrutinised, scores of 9, 28, 15, 20, and 41 against Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Bangladesh suggest that he has struggled to convert starts into substantial scores. Even his century against England on 12 February could not lift the mood. His scores read 2, 119, 1 in the three-match series.
While Rohit’s aggressive approach has been effective in white-ball cricket, where rapid scoring is often essential, his Test form has been a different story altogether. Despite declaring that he has no intention of retiring from the longest format, his recent performances have been woefully inadequate, sparking worries about his ability to adapt to the more patient, nuanced demands of Test cricket.
Since 2023, Rohit in 39 innings, has averaged a modest 29.84, a relatively low return for a top-order batsman. A deeper dive into his numbers reveals a worrying trend: he has been dismissed for under 20 on 22 occasions and has scored between 20-40 seven times. This inconsistency has resulted in 1,164 runs in 39 innings, a tally that, while respectable, doesn’t quite match the lofty standards expected of him.
With talented young batsmen like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal, and others consistently delivering impressive performances in List A matches, it’s pertinent to ask: shouldn’t they be given an opportunity to shine on the international stage? Does Rohit’s desire to extend his career potentially hinder the growth and development of these emerging cricketers, depriving them of valuable experience and exposure?
As he continues to achieve accolades as a leader, his batting has made it essential for Rohit, the selectors, and the team management to reassess his primary role as a batter and reevaluate his position in the context of Indian cricket. The skipper, after all, will be turning 38 next month.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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