Former India captain Rohit Sharma has spoken out about watching the upcoming T20 World Cup from the sidelines for the first time. Rohit, who retired from T20Is after leading India to the title in 2024, said that the reality of missing a major competition has finally hit home.
Rohit, Kohli and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja had quit the shortest format after the quadrennial event when India ended their wait for an ICC silverware by clinching the 2024 T20 World Cup. Both Rohit and Kohli engage in only one-day internationals now, although this will be the first time that Rohit has been absent from a T20 World Cup when it is staged in 2026. India begin their title defence with a game against the USA on February 7 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
During a show ‘Captain Rohit Sharma’s Roadmap for T20 World Cup’ on JioHotstar, the 38-year-old spoke about how it feels to be in different phase. You never miss any doubles it’s never not being able to go to a World Cup.
“We were talking about this at home, that it will be strange watching it from home, especially the T20 World Cup. From the time it started until now, I have been part of every World Cup, so it will feel different. When you miss a World Cup, the reality really sinks in. That’s when you realise you’re not going to be part of it. However, I will be somewhere in the stadium. It won’t be the same, but it will be a different experience.”
Rohit Sharma
The former Indian batsman also spoke on his captaincy stint, saying at the highest level of a team one needs to make tough decisions which are not always pleasant. He highlighted that one of his toughest tasks was selecting for an important tournament. Rohit Sharma cited examples such as Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion for the 2022 Asia Cup and T20 World Cup to illustrate how the quest for squad balance and multi-skill criteria weighed on selections.
“There have been many such instances of taking hard calls before World Cups. You will not be able to please everyone, but it is important for the individual to know why a decision is taken.”
Rohit Sharma
Meanwhile, Rohit defended the current Indian T20 structure, claiming that constancy has worked in their benefit. With about 80-90 percent of the group intact from the previous World Cup and an average age of around 25, he believes the team has established a great understanding over the last two years.
