The ex-captain of India Rohit Sharma admitted on Wednesday that he would feel a “strange” sensation after looking T20 World Cup from the sidelines for the first time in his career, and he talked about the tough selection calls and the leadership that characterized his reign as captain. Rohit and Virat Kohli, who have been the two main Indian cricket players, now only participate in the 50-over format after retiring from Tests and T20s. India will kick off their T20 World Cup title defence with a game against the USA on February 7 in Mumbai.
The 36-year-old player stated that the truth of not being a part of a global event is harder to accept than that of not being a part of bilateral matches.
“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 a part of every World Cup, so it will feel different,” Rohit said on a JioHotstar show.
“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,” he added.
Looking back on his captaincy, Rohit said that one of the most difficult parts of leading a team at the highest level was to make hard decisions about player selection while keeping the trust and respect in the dressing room.
“Before World Cups, there have been many such cases of making difficult decisions. It will not be possible to satisfy everyone, but it is very important for the one affected to know the reason behind the decision,” said Rohit.
Referencing Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022, Rohit argued that the harmony of the team and the need for multi-skilled players often governed the choice of players.
“We thought that we needed someone who would give us a bit more with the ball. That is why we chose Deepak Hooda, who was in good form at that time. Shreyas would feel bad, Deepak would feel happy — that is how it goes,” he said and added that he and then-coach Rahul Dravid had talked to Iyer personally about the decision.
Rohit remarked that such discussions were also held with players like Mohammed Siraj, who was left out of the 2025 Champions Trophy, and Yuzvendra Chahal, who was not picked for the 2023 ODI World Cup.
“For us, what is important is to find out how we can make the best use of the 15 players in the squad. As long as you have a good reason and you explain it well, that is okay,” he remarked.
On the bonding with his team-mates during his captaincy, Rohit stated that establishing an open and approachable atmosphere was one of the essential components of his leadership style.
“My aim was always to have that openness not only for cricket discussions but also for the ones related to life. No limits; the door is always open,” he said and added that the use of humour and mutual respect were instrumental in the creation of a relaxed dressing-room environment.
Concerning the next T20 World Cup edition, Rohit was sure about the present Indian team and mentioned continuity, unity and a young core as advantages.
“Only 10 to 20 per cent of the squad has changed since the previous T20 World Cup. They have been playing together for nearly two years, which builds excellent understanding,” he said, and the average age of the team is near 25.
“Winning the World Cup is the only goal when you enter a tournament like that. For that, you need to have open conversations and sometimes even difficult ones,” Rohit concluded.
