'Agar hum nahi jeet te, toh main...': Rohit Sharma reveals shocking story behind T20I retirement

Rohit Sharma made history by leading India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, ending the nation's drought of ICC trophies. Despite South Africa being the favorites, India staged a remarkable comeback to secure the title after 17 years. Following his standout performance in the final, Virat Kohli announced his retirement, with Rohit Sharma also stepping down from T20I cricket during the post-match press conference. The day after, Ravindra Jadeja also declared his retirement from T20Is.

Nearly a year later, Rohit Sharma made headlines once again by revealing that he had planned to retire even if India had not won the final. In an interview with Vimal Kumar on his YouTube channel, Rohit shared his thoughts on his retirement decision.

"When I announced my retirement from T20Is… agar hum nahi jeet-te (T20 World Cup), toh mai waise he announce kar deta kyuki bahut try kar liya ab. It’s not fair for me to continue; you have to give chances to the others. But after winning, you feel that you still have it in you; you are playing well, and you have given the result as well, so why not? Why not continue?"

"Because this place that you have earned by no means came to you just like that. You worked really hard for it. I know what all I have done in my life and all the things I have gone through to get this. So I have an idea of all these things. So why do you want to leave? If you are batting well, giving results, then why?" he added.

On Wednesday, Rohit Sharma made a significant announcement regarding his cricket career. The 38-year-old revealed his retirement from Test cricket through a post on Instagram. While bidding farewell to Test cricket, Sharma confirmed his commitment to continue representing India in ODIs. This decision came as a surprise to many, especially as the selectors are currently in the process of finalizing the squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England. With Sharma stepping down from Test cricket, the committee now faces the task of appointing a new captain.

Sharma appears poised to lead the Men in Blue until the 2027 ODI World Cup. His leadership skills were evident when he guided India to victory in the 2025 Champions Trophy. Additionally, under his captaincy, India reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, ultimately falling short to Australia in a closely contested match.

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