Rohit Sharma disclosed a moment when he nearly quit cricket entirely, expressing his desire to retire early as he believed he had ‘nothing more’ to offer.
Star batsman Rohit Sharma disclosed that he thought about retiring early from cricket following the loss in the 2023 World Cup. The ex-ODI captain, who guided the team to an impressive unbeaten streak in the tournament but faltered in the final match against Australia in Ahmedabad, stated he no longer felt like participating in the sport, as it had drained ‘everything from my body’.
Rohit, who experienced the nearest brush with his childhood dream at the Narendra Modi Stadium, vanished from public view for weeks following that finale. He ultimately came back and resumed his role as captain, aiding the team in winning the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
‘I Didn’t Want To Play Anymore’: Rohit Sharma Opens Up On Retirement Thoughts
“It was a difficult reality to accept, but I understood that life goes on from here,” Rohit remarked at a recent gathering in Gurgaon. “It taught me, ‘how can I move on and begin anew’ since life continues beyond that point.” I was aware that another event was approaching, the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies, and I needed to concentrate all my attention on it. It’s simple for me to say now, but it was quite hard to accomplish back then. At one moment, I honestly believed that I didn’t want to continue playing this sport because it has drained every ounce of energy from my body, and I feel completely empty.
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Rohit detailed how he motivated himself to pursue the dream once more.
“It took me some time to return because I continually reminded myself that this is something I cherish and have always dreamed of.” It’s right in front of me, and I can’t just let it slip away. “It required some time and a lot of effort to return to the field and begin playing again,” Rohit stated.
Rohit has now retired from Tests and T20Is and was stripped of his ODI captaincy earlier this year. He keeps participating in the 50-over format, seemingly with the intention of making one last try for the World Cup in 2027.