Rohit Sharma Wants India To Become ‘Powerhouse Of World Cricket’, Reflects On Captaincy And Modern-Day Cricket

Rohit Sharma opened up on India’s rise in world cricket, the fearless approach of modern cricketers, and the lessons he learned from leading India and the Mumbai Indians.

Nearly two decades into his international career, former India captain Rohit Sharma believes Indian cricket is progressing in the right direction and is steadily becoming a dominant force in world cricket. Speaking during Mumbai Indians’ ESA Day event, Rohit praised the growth of Indian cricket across formats and age-group competitions while stressing that the country is already among the elite cricketing nations.

The veteran opener pointed to India’s strong performances in ICC tournaments over the last few years as evidence of the team’s steady rise on the global stage.

Rohit Sharma Wants India To Continue Winning Globally

Rohit highlighted India’s success in recent ICC events and explained how the country is moving towards becoming a cricketing superpower. The former skipper said India’s performances in both men’s and women’s cricket reflect the strength of the current cricketing system.

“I want India to be the powerhouse of world cricket… that is the bottom line, as I want India to be the best and cricket is right up there. What we have done in the last three years has been superb to watch. From the 2024 World Cup, Women’s World Cup, U19 World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy and another T20 World Cup. I hope we continue our winning streak,” Rohit said during the event.

The 39-year-old added that India’s consistency across tournaments has created a strong foundation for the future and expressed hope that the team continues its successful run in the coming years.

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Rohit Sharma Explains How Modern Cricket Has Changed

Rohit also reflected on how drastically the game has evolved since he started his international career. According to the Indian opener, modern-day cricket has become far more aggressive, especially in white-ball formats where teams are no longer satisfied with moderate totals.

“When we started, 130-140 was a good score, but currently it is difficult. Now, any score one gets does not seem to be very convincing. That is the story which tells you how the game has gone about through the years,” he said.

The former Mumbai Indians captain credited the fearless attitude of today’s cricketers for transforming the sport and making matches more competitive and entertaining.

“People have become more fearless, open-minded on how they should go about doing things, which is a good sign for the sport, game and league. The players are not afraid to take a step forward rather than being conservative. In the coming years too, that is how it will keep going, it will reach greater heights,” he said.

Rohit further advised young players to enjoy the sport naturally instead of carrying pressure from a very early age.

“It depends from age to age. I know there are kids ranging from six years to 18 years. You do not want to put too much pressure on the kid so early on in their life. They should just be enjoying the sport, watching and playing with their friends. That is how it all started for me. The situation will tell you what is important at this point of time. Enjoy the sport that you want to play. No one can force you to do something,” the ODI opener said.

Rohit Sharma Opens Up On Captaincy And Life Lessons

During the interaction, Rohit also reflected on his own journey in international cricket and admitted that setbacks and difficult phases played a major role in shaping his career.

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“From my debut till now, there have been so many instances where I got to learn, if I have to come up from here then what needs to be done. In sport, there is no smooth ride, along with upwards, there is also a downhill which teaches you many things,” he stated.

The Indian captain further explained how leadership responsibilities with India and Mumbai Indians changed his overall mindset and taught him to prioritise team success over individual milestones.

“I learnt a lot from my India and Mumbai Indians captaincy. How one needs to put everything aside and make sure the team goal is more important. When one is captain, it is a different story because you just do not have to worry about your performance. You also have to worry about others’ performances as well. If you have hit a 100 and the others have not been able to perform and the side has lost the game then it is worrisome. It will not give you peace of mind until the results are showing,” Rohit said.

Rohit also mentioned that cricket helped him understand life beyond the field and shaped the way he interacts with people personally and professionally.

“Even in my personal life, it has taught me about investing, buying, selling and dealing with the person who is sitting in front of me. All of the above comes through because of the sport I play,” he noted.