Rohit Sharma about World Cup loss (Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com)
In cricket or in another sport, heartbreaks and glory are a part of life. Team India has endured many painful defeats over the years, yet few compare to the crushing heartbreak of the 2023 World Cup, a loss that still looms large in cricketing memory.
After an outstanding tournament, that one final broke the dreams of billions, and those eleven players had a nightmare on the field. Two years on, former India captain Rohit Sharma finally looked back at that painful memory, reopening old wounds.
Rohit Sharma revisits the heartbreak of the 2023 World Cup
After the 2011 edition, when the ODI World Cup returned to Indian soil in 2023, billions of Indian fans hoped high, putting their dreams on the strong shoulders of the eleven soldiers. Keeping eyes on the dream of lifting the World Cup trophy on home soil, Team India had a dream campaign, but that one final defeat against Pat Cummins' Australia changed everything.
The entire nation backed the men in blue as they saw their dreams shattered in front of their eyes. As Rohit Sharma was leading the side, the heartbreak hit him hard as he stepped away from the game for a long time. Speaking at the Masters Union, Rohit revealed how the pain was so intense that he even thought about retirement.
“Everybody was extremely disappointed, and we just couldn’t believe what had happened. It was a very tough time for me personally because I had put everything into that World Cup, not just two or three months before it, but ever since I took over the captaincy in 2022,” he said.
“At one point, I honestly felt like I didn’t want to play this sport anymore because it had taken everything out of me, and I felt I had nothing left. It took some time, a lot of energy, and self-reflection to get back. I kept reminding myself that this is something I truly love, that it was right in front of me, and I couldn’t let it go so easily,” he added.
Time heals the pain as a brighter chapter awaits
With time, even the biggest heartbreak eased off when better things came along the way. Rohit Sharma, who wanted to give up on the sport that he loved the most, ended up lifting the T20 World Cup in 2024 after ending a long drought. Reflecting on that phase, the Indian skipper revealed how he stepped away from the game, only to find his way back to glory.
“Slowly, I found my way back putting in the effort, regaining the energy, and getting myself moving again on the field,” he added.
Just not in the T20 World Cup triumph, when the Champions Trophy returned after years, Rohit Sharma led the side towards glory earlier in the year. Even after stepping down from captaincy, the cricketing world is eager to witness the classic Hitman magic once again in the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.
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