Former India skipper reflects on past triumphs, hints at new approach ahead of Australia ODIs

Rohit Sharma reflected on India’s victories in the 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2024 T20 World Cup, highlighting a journey filled with both heartache and glory. The 38-year-old took over as India’s all-format captain from Virat Kohli in early 2022, following the team’s disappointing campaign in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Rohit teamed up with Rahul Dravid, who had taken over as head coach from Ravi Shastri. In a recent conversation, Rohit hinted at a shift in mindset, suggesting that after repeatedly falling short in crucial tournaments, he decided to try a different approach.

Rohit, who was recently removed by the BCCI as ODI captain, acknowledged that he and Dravid had an easier time thanks to the team’s combined efforts. Dravid’s tenure ended following last year’s successful T20 World Cup campaign.

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“It is not about one year of work or two years of work. We had come so close to winning that trophy many times (during the 2014 T20 World Cup finals against Sri Lanka and the 2016 T20 WC semis versus West Indies), but we could not quite get over the line. That is where everyone decided that we needed to do something different. One or two players cannot do it. You need everyone to buy into that thought. That was really good from the team, and that is something that helped me and Rahul Dravid, when we were planning for the T20 World Cup and then on to the Champions Trophy,” Rohit said during the CEAT Cricket Ratings Awards in Mumbai.

In the forthcoming ODI series in Australia, which begins on October 19, the seasoned batter will once again be seen in action.

With 11,168 runs at an average of 48.76 and a strike rate of 92.80 in 273 matches and 265 innings, 32 hundreds and 58 fifties, Rohit is without a doubt one of the greatest ODI players of all time. He ranks fourth among India’s all-time ODI run scorers.