Winning Champions Trophy unbeaten massive achievement, says India Captain Rohit Sharma

On his future with team India, Rohit Sharma said right now he would be taking things as they come

HYDERABAD: India captain Rohit Sharma, who led his team to a record third Champions Trophy victory in Dubai on Monday, said that winning a tournament without a single defeat was a massive achievement in itself.

In an interview with Jio Hotstar, Rohit said that gave him immense satisfaction. “To be honest, until we won the trophy, no one really thought about it. But after the victory, it hit us—we had gone through the entire tournament undefeated,” he said.

---

“That realisation made it even more special. It’s difficult to put into words how that feels right now. We have an incredibly solid team, and it’s a joy to play alongside such committed individuals. Everyone knows their role and responsibilities—what needs to be done and what must be avoided,” the champion opener said.

“ We have played together for so long that we understand each other well. At the end of the day, our main goal is to win, and we are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve that. The boys have shown that throughout the tournament—they were prepared to give everything for the team,” he said.

On Jasprit Bumrah’s absence and how the team overcame the challenge, Rohit Sharma said they had learnt he wouldn’t be available and they had a sense that his recovery might not be in time for the Champions Trophy. “ Given the nature of his injury and the fact that he is a fast bowler with a long career ahead, we had to be cautious. While preparing for the England series and finalising the preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy, we had detailed discussions on how to fill the void left by Bumrah,” Rohit explained.

“It was always going to be a challenge, but having Mohammed Shami in the team was crucial. We needed to ensure he was at peak fitness because his record in ICC tournaments is exceptional. Looking back at past World Cups, Shami has consistently delivered outstanding performances in ICC events,” the flamboyant opener said.

“After the Australia tour, we had about 20-25 days before the tournament started. During that time, we closely monitored the ILT-20 matches to study the pitches and playing conditions. We analysed the type of bowlers required for those surfaces and used that information to shape our squad composition. All these elements combined helped us overcome the absence of Bumrah and still perform at our best,” he explained.

On what changed after the 2015 ICC World Cup semifinal loss in Australia, Rohit said the focus was no longer on individual milestones—whether it was scoring a hundred or taking five wickets—because, in the end, if the team doesn’t win, those achievements don’t matter,” he said.

Rohit said he learnt the hard way in 2019 and that he scored five centuries in that World Cup, but what did it mean when India. “ Those five hundreds are displayed in my home, but there’s no ICC World Cup trophy alongside them. Cricket is a team sport. The real satisfaction comes from winning championships, not just individual records,” he pointed out. “So, over the last few years, we have consciously changed our approach. We kept reinforcing this message within the team. The credit goes to the players for embracing this new approach and making it a reality.”

On his future with team India, Rohit Sharma said right now he would be taking things as they come.

“At this moment, my focus is on playing well and maintaining the right mindset. I don’t want to draw any lines and say whether I will or won’t play in the 2027 World Cup. There’s no point in making such statements right now. Realistically, I have always taken my career one step at a time,” he said.

“I don’t like thinking too far into the future, and I haven’t done so in the past either. For now, I am enjoying my cricket and the time I spend with this team. I hope my teammates enjoy my presence as well.

That’s all that matters at this point,” he concluded.