Former India captain Rohit Sharma has stated that Indian cricket is moving in the right direction, both in terms of results and mindset. Furthermore, he said that he wants Indian cricket to be the best in world cricket and that it is already “right up there."
Rohit Sharma, who made his India debut in 2007 and has won two T20 World Cups and two ICC Champions Trophies, credited Indian cricket’s success to brilliance in age-group cricket, which has enabled India to grow the strength of the country’s cricketing structure.
“I want India to be the powerhouse of world cricket… that is the bottom line, as I want India to be the best, and cricket is right up there. What we have done in the last three years has been superb to watch. From the 2024 World Cup, Women’s World Cup, U19 World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy, and another T20 World Cup. I hope we continue our winning streak," Rohit said while speaking at the Mumbai Indians’ ESA Day event.
Additionally, Rohit emphasized how the sport has drastically altered over time, especially in the shorter formats, where batting strategies and scoring patterns have seen a substantial shift since his debut.
“When we started, 130-140 was a good score, but currently it is difficult. Now, any score one gets does not seem to be very convincing. That is the story that tells you how the game has gone about through the years," he said.
According to the former MI captain, the fearlessness of modern-day cricketers has pushed the sport to greater heights.
“People have become more fearless and open-minded on how they should go about doing things, which is a good sign for the sport, game, and league. The players are not afraid to take a step forward rather than being conservative. In the coming year,s too, that is how it will keep going; it will reach greater heights," he said.
When discussing the upcoming generation of cricket players, Rohit emphasized the significance of letting kids enjoy the sport without putting too much pressure on them too soon.
“It depends on age. I know there are kids ranging from six years to 18 years. You do not want to put too much pressure on the kid so early on in their life. They should just be enjoying the sport, watching, and playing with their friends. That is how it all started for me. The situation will tell you what is important at this point in time. Enjoy the sport that you want to play. No one can force you to do something," Rohit stated.
The opening acknowledged that the difficulties and disappointments he encountered during his career were some of his greatest teaching moments.
“From my debut till now, there have been so many instances where I got to learn what needs to be done if I have to come up from here. In sports, there is no smooth ride; along with upwards, there is also a downhill, which teaches you many things," he stated.
Rohit talked about how being captain changed his perspective, saying that it made him put the team's success ahead of his own accomplishments.
“I learned a lot from my Indian and Mumbai Indians captaincy. How one needs to put everything aside and make sure the team goal is more important. When one is a captain, it is a different story because one just does not have to worry about one's performance. You also have to worry about others’ performances as well. If you have hit a 100 and the others have not been able to perform, and the side has lost the game, then it is worrisome. It will not give you peace of mind until the results are showing," Rohit said.
“Even in my personal life, it has taught me about investing, buying, selling, and dealing with the person who is sitting in front of me. All of the above comes through because of the sport I play," he noted.
