5 major statements made by Rohit Sharma in recent interview amid ENG vs IND 2025 series

India’s ODI skipper Rohit Sharma recently appeared on a special segment with JioHotStar, where he shared anecdotes, re-lived key moments, and reflected on leading the Men in Blue to their historic 2024 T20 World Cup triumph in the USA and West Indies.

India remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, topping Group A and then finishing first in Super Eight’s Group 1, which featured strong contenders like Australia, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.

Rohit’s team went on to defeat England in the semi-final before edging past South Africa in a thrilling final on June 29, 2024, in Barbados — winning by seven runs to claim their second T20 World Cup title and first in 17 years.

On that note, in this article, we highlight five major takeaways from Rohit Sharma’s candid chat in the JioStar segment titled ‘Champions Waali Feeling’.

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#1 “We remember how they ended our dream on November 19” - Rohit Sharma’s candid take in the lead-up to the Super 8 clash against Australia

During the JioHotStar segment ‘Champions Waali Feeling’, Rohit Sharma opened up about the high-stakes Super 8 clash against Australia. He shared that the team was fully aware Australia would be knocked out of the tournament if India managed to beat them, especially after their earlier loss to Afghanistan.

The 38-year-old admitted that the memories of November 19, 2023—when Australia defeated India in the ODI World Cup final—were still fresh in the players’ minds. However, he emphasized that once the match began, his complete focus was on delivering a strong performance for his team. Rohit said:

“We knew that if we won this match, Australia would be knocked out — and that was a decent source of motivation for all of us. But you can't go into a match thinking about what happened last time or with the mindset of teaching them a lesson. Yes, you want to do well against them, but it can never be just about the past.”

“Everyone still carried that anger — in the back of our minds, we remember how they ended our dream on November 19. Not just ours, but the whole country’s. So yeah, there’s a feeling that they deserve a little payback. These things are casually discussed in the dressing room — in a fun, light-hearted way — like “Let’s knock them out.” But when I’m out there batting, it’s not like I’m thinking, ‘Let’s eliminate them from the tournament.’ It doesn’t work like that. My focus is on performing well. The real thought is: How can I play well against them,” he added.

Talking about the game, after being asked to bat first, India posted a formidable 205/5, with Rohit Sharma playing a sensational knock of 92 off just 41 deliveries. Reflecting on the innings, Rohit called it one of the finest of his career. He said:

“By far — because while centuries are special, some scores like 60s or 70s, given the context and occasion of the game, feel even more significant. A World Cup carries its own importance, so yes, I’d definitely place it right up there.”

Australia fell short in their chase, finishing at 181/7 and losing by 24 runs. The defeat, followed by Afghanistan’s victory over Bangladesh in the final Super 8 clash, sealed Australia’s elimination from the tournament.

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#2 “You have to be proactive” - Rohit Sharma on managing Jasprit Bumrah in pressure situations

Rohit Sharma also shed light on how he strategically deployed Jasprit Bumrah in crunch situations, particularly during the high-pressure game against Pakistan. On a challenging pitch, India posted just 119, and Pakistan needed only 40 runs from the final six overs with seven wickets in hand.

However, led by Bumrah’s brilliance, the Indian bowling unit turned the game around to secure a dramatic six-run victory.

Speaking about handling pressure scenarios and highlighting the value of also having Arshdeep Singh in the attack, Rohit said:

“With Bumrah, you have to be proactive about how you use him — he’s a genuine wicket-taking option, and you know he’s not going to concede many runs. So, how do you factor all this into your planning? When there’s a chase on and the opposition needs a run-a-ball, I also had Arshdeep alongside Bumrah.”

“What Arshdeep has done over the last two years is remarkable — he’s become the highest wicket-taker, and there’s a reason for that. He’s a very smart bowler. I had a clear plan for how to use their four overs each. For new batters, it wasn’t easy — the goal was simply to bring two new batters to the crease," he added.

Bumrah was named Player of the Match for his outstanding spell of three for 14 in four overs against Pakistan.

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#3 “All our seven or eight batters were told to play instinctively” - Rohit Sharma reflects on mindset before semi-final against England

India and England clashed in the semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup, where the Men in Blue suffered a heavy 10-wicket loss while defending 169. Two years later, the teams met again at the same stage in the 2024 edition, with India once more asked to bat first.

Looking back, Rohit Sharma spoke about whether there was a specific target in mind. He shared that the players were given the freedom to play aggressively from the first ball if it was in their hitting zone. He said:

“I mean, whenever I bat, I don't think of a specific target — and it's something I've never done even as a captain, like saying, "Today we need to score 160 or 170." Sometimes, when you set a target like that, you end up underachieving. I believe in just going out there and batting, assessing the situation. If you feel you can take on the bowling, go ahead and do it. If you feel the need to slow down your game a bit, then do that. Do whatever the situation demands, and I trust every player to make that call on the field while they’re batting.

“What happens sometimes is, when you set a target — say you think, “We need 20 runs in the next 3 overs but without losing a wicket” — your mind locks into those 20 runs, and you play accordingly. Even if a ball is there to be hit, you might just try to place it in a gap instead of going big, even though that ball should be sent to the boundary. That’s why I believe in not pre-deciding a target. All our seven or eight batters were told to play instinctively — go out, assess the conditions, and if the first ball is right in your hitting zone, then go for it. Simple as that.”

India posted a competitive 171/7 on a sluggish pitch, with Rohit Sharma leading the way with a well-crafted 57 off 39 balls. In response, England were bowled out for just 103, as Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav picked up three wickets apiece.

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#4 “I was panicking” - Rohit Sharma on Virat Kohli’s 76-run knock in the final against South Africa

In the final against South Africa, after opting to bat first, India found themselves in early trouble, losing three wickets for just 34 runs. Star batter Virat Kohli, who had been struggling for form with only 75 runs in seven innings leading up to the final, stepped up on the big day. He made a solid start and capitalized on it, forging a crucial 72-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Axar Patel (47 off 31), helping India regain control of the match.

Speaking about Kohli’s knock and the importance of building a partnership at that stage, Rohit Sharma said:

“If you get three boundaries in the very first over, obviously, you’ve had a good start — and that’s exactly what every cricketer wants. It eases you a bit. His years of experience playing for India also helped. He was able to control his emotions, his thoughts, and stay in the moment. I’m sure he was thinking, “Today is the day. I need to stay focused and not worry about the past.” And he played a brilliant knock. That partnership with Axar was crucial, especially after we lost those three wickets up front.

“There were definitely a lot of nerves inside the dressing room — I was panicking. I wasn’t comfortable at all. I kept thinking, “Man, we’ve let them back into the game.” But at the back of my mind, I still had faith in our lower order — positions five, six, seven, and eight — even though they hadn’t had much time in the middle throughout the tournament. Whenever they did get the chance, they made an impact.”

Kohli scored 76 off 59 deliveries, including six fours and two sixes, anchoring the innings and helping India post a total of 176/7.

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#5 “It meant everything to all of us” - Rohit Sharma relives the moment of winning the 2024 T20 World Cup

Defending a target of 177, India found themselves on the back foot at one point, with South Africa needing just 26 runs from the final four overs and six wickets in hand. However, the Indian bowlers staged a remarkable comeback, with Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya stepping up in the crunch moments to secure a thrilling seven-run victory.

Reacting to the win, Rohit Sharma said:

“I couldn’t believe we had actually done it, man. That was the feeling. It really hit us only after we reached the hotel and held the trophy — that’s when we truly realized, “Yes, we’ve done it!" Barbados will forever be in my veins. This is by far the best moment of my life and cricketing career — to lift that trophy. It meant everything to all of us. There had been so much disappointment in the past — coming close but not winning — that’s what made this so special.”

The 38-year-old also revealed that Rahul Dravid had intended to step down as head coach after the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, the team persuaded him to stay on, and Rohit added that Dravid must now feel assured that he made the right decision. The opening batter said:

“We worked incredibly hard, we planned meticulously, and that’s why all the emotions came out from every player. Rahul bhai had wanted to step down after the 2023 World Cup, but we had to convince him to stay. We told him there’s another World Cup just six months away — “Let’s give it one more shot.” He agreed, and I’m sure he made the right decision to stay.” My recognition, the identity I built in cricket, started from this format — from the 2007 T20 World Cup. I was so happy — all those memories were flashing back in my mind.”

Rohit also reflected on the moment he kissed Hardik Pandya after the win, calling him “his guy” for delivering in the crucial final over. Speaking about the emotional moment, he said:

“Bhai, he’s my guy, man. He did the job for me in that last over — it was such a crucial one.”

After guiding India to a historic title win, Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20 Internationals during the post-match press conference. Having represented India in 159 T20Is, he signed off with 4,231 runs to his name, including 32 half-centuries and five centuries.