India captain Rohit Sharma heads off retirement rumours
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India's Rohit Sharma in action during his team's four-wicket win over New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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DUBAI – India skipper Rohit Sharma on March 9 said he is “not retiring” from one-day international (ODI) cricket after leading his team to a record third Champions Trophy title in Dubai.
India beat New Zealand by four wickets in the final of the 50-over tournament, after he handed the team a quick start with his 76 as they chased down their target of 252 with six balls to spare.
Indian stalwarts Sharma, 37, and Virat Kohli, 36, had a lean run of form in India’s 3-1 Test defeat in Australia earlier in 2025 and the pair came into the tournament with speculation swirling over their ODI retirements.
“I want to clarify that I am not going anywhere, I am not retiring from this format,” Sharma told reporters at the end of a long post-match press conference at the Dubai International Stadium.
He said a lot of rumours have been doing the rounds around his retirement, but he will stay on.
He led India to their second successive International Cricket Council (ICC) title, after the team lifted the T20 World Cup in Barbados in 2024.
Sharma, Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja all retired from the shortest format after the triumph.
India, under Sharma, ended runners-up in the 2023 ODI World Cup after they lost the final to Australia in Ahmedabad.
His 83-ball knock, laced with seven fours and three sixes, was his first half-century in this tournament.
India, who played all their matches in Dubai, were unbeaten in their five games.
They have dropped just one match in three ICC tournaments since the ODI World Cup, where the home team came unbeaten into the final.
Sharma’s team remained unbeaten in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies and extended the run in this Champions Trophy.
“It is a great milestone to have, honestly speaking,” he said of the achievement.
“And that speaks about the kind of team this is.
“So, it shows a lot of quality in the team, a lot of depth, a lot of understanding within the group, a lot of enjoyment, a lot of excitement. And that is how we want to play our cricket.”
India came into the eight-nation tournament with a 3-0 ODI sweep of England at home and have been the team to beat in white-ball cricket. They top the world team rankings in ODI and T20 listings of the ICC.
“One game India loses, or it goes here and there, and there is so much speculation,” said Sharma.
“But the boys and the team have actually managed to put that aside and just focus on how to win games and how to enjoy the game.
“Representing India is not a joke. Everyone wants to represent India with a lot of integrity and a lot of pride as well.” AFP
