Over a month after retiring from T20I cricket, Rohit Sharma ended his career with a World Cup victory. He remains a key player in India's ODI setup and continues to lead the team. The upcoming series against Sri Lanka will be his first since the T20 World Cup final. Despite retiring, Rohit admitted it hasn’t fully sunk in yet.
"I enjoyed playing T20s and did what I had to do. Now, I'm focusing on Tests and ODIs," Rohit said at the pre-match press conference.
Rohit acknowledged that managing the demands of all formats was challenging. Since the start of 2023, India has played significant games across all formats, including two World Cups and a World Test Championship final. Winning the T20 World Cup was a timely reward for his team.
"Personally, I've had a good break. After winning the World Cup, it was great to return home and celebrate. But now, we have to move on. Cricket always does," he said.
Under new head coach Gautam Gambhir, India's T20I team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, won a thrilling 3-0 series against Sri Lanka. Rohit praised Suryakumar but advised patience in judging his leadership.
"It's early days. Suryakumar has done well, but we need to give him time to perform consistently before making any judgments," Rohit said.
Rohit is excited about his new working relationship with Gambhir, noting that their previous camaraderie will help the team transition smoothly.
"Gautam has a clear vision for the team, which is great. We've played and talked a lot together, and I look forward to working with him," Rohit explained.
The upcoming ODIs are not merely preparation for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Rohit highlighted maintaining high standards and playing quality cricket.
"We aim to play good cricket and gain something from the series. Representing the nation means maintaining our high standards," he stated.
India's ODI lineup remains in flux, especially with the competition between Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. Rohit sees this as a positive sign of the squad’s depth.
"It's a tough call because both Pant and Rahul are quality players. It's a good problem to have, indicating our squad's strength. I welcome these challenges," he said with a smile.