Rohit, along with Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, stepped away from the shortest format after India ended their long ICC trophy drought by winning the 2024 T20 World Cup. While Rohit and Kohli continue to play ODIs, the 2026 tournament will be the first T20 World Cup Rohit will not feature in. India begin their title defence against the USA on February 7 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, with Suryakumar Yadav leading the team.
Speaking on JioHotstar’s show ‘Captain Rohit Sharma’s Roadmap for T20 World Cup’, the 38-year-old reflected on how different this phase feels. He said that while missing bilateral series never hit as hard, being absent from a World Cup is entirely different.
“We were talking about this at home—that it will be strange watching it from home, especially the T20 World Cup. From the time it started until now, I have been part of every World Cup, so it will feel different. When you miss a World Cup, the reality really sinks in. That’s when you realise you’re not going to be part of it. However, I will be somewhere in the stadium. It won’t be the same, but it will be a different experience,” Rohit said.
Reflecting on his captaincy, Rohit also discussed the challenges of leadership at the highest level, noting that making tough and unpopular decisions was part of the role. He highlighted selection choices ahead of major tournaments as some of the hardest calls he had to make. Citing instances like Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the 2022 Asia Cup and T20 World Cup, Rohit explained that team balance and multi-skill requirements often guided these decisions.
“There have been many instances of taking hard calls before World Cups. You cannot please everyone, but it is important for the individual to understand why a decision is made,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rohit expressed confidence in the current Indian T20 setup. With 80–90% of the squad retained from the last World Cup and an average age of around 25, he believes continuity has helped the team develop a strong understanding and cohesion over the past two years.
