Team India captain Rohit Sharma called time on his T20I career after leading the side to a much-awaited World Cup title in June earlier this year. The victory was special for many reasons; it was India’s first ICC title since 2013 when an MS Dhoni-led side lifted the Champions Trophy and only the second time India won the T20 World Cup since its inaugural edition, way back in 2007. Additionally, Rohit’s men endured a heartbreaking defeat in the final of the ODI World Cup at home only roughly over half-a-year prior to the T20 tournament, which made the win all the more sweeter.
Alongside Rohit, India’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli also quit the T20Is. While it was a perfect farewell for the duo, Rohit has now revealed that his actual reason behind leaving the shortest format wasn’t his age; he revealed he can still easily play all three formats.
In an interview with the YouTube channel FITTR, the anchor asked Rohit if he had ever considered retiring from the game, suggesting that he may no longer feel “young.”
“Was there a time when you felt that you’re not that young, and maybe it’s time for me to put down the gloves?” the anchor asked.
Rohit was quick to dismiss the idea, explaining that his decision to step away from T20Is was driven by the abundance of talented players ready to take his place.
“No no no. The only reason I retired from T20Is was because I’ve had my time. I enjoyed playing the format. I played for 17 years, and I did well. When you win the World Cup… it was the best time for you to move on. It was time to move on and look after other things. There are a lot of good players who can do well for India,” said Rohit.
“So, that was not because I felt anything. I just felt it was the right time. I can still play all three formats easily. That’s why I say that fitness is in your mind and how you train it. I believe everything is in the mind, I have a lot of self-belief because I know I can control my mind. It’s not easy, but I know most of the times, I can do that. If you tell your body you’re young, you can do that.”
Rohit continues captaincy in other formats
Rohit Sharma continues to lead the Indian team in ODIs and Tests, and is currently in action against Bangladesh in a two-Test series. Rohit’s upcoming captaincy assignments include a three-Test series against New Zealand and a blockbuster Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Next year, Rohit could potentially lead India in two ICC tournaments; while the side will take part in the Champions Trophy, India are currently at the top of the World Test Championship table, and retaining the spot would mean the side will qualify for a third-straight final.