Former India skipper Rohit Sharma was presented with a special memento on Tuesday for leading the team to Champions Trophy glory in 2025. The stylish opener made a rare public appearance at the CEAT Annual Awards ahead of his return to international cricket for the upcoming Australia tour. Rohit was one of the star attractions at the event, and he did make a stylish appearance in his lean avatar.
Rohit had a gala time at the event, where he was seen having fun with his fellow teammates Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson and others. A clip from the event went viral, showing Rohit in splits as a mimicry artist impersonated MS Dhoni. The swashbuckling opener couldn’t contain his laughter, cracking up heartily, while his wife Ritika Sajdeh, seated behind him, joined in the fun.
The 39-year-old Rohit was recently succeeded by Shubman Gill as India’s ODI captain but retained his spot for the Australia tour alongside Virat Kohli. After retiring from Tests and T20IS, Rohit focused solely on the 50-over format. Under Rohit’s leadership, India secured back-to-back ICC titles, beginning with the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados and the Champions Trophy in March, winning every match. Rohit also starred with the bat, smashing 76 in the final against New Zealand to seal a historic triumph.
{{/usCountry}}The 39-year-old Rohit was recently succeeded by Shubman Gill as India’s ODI captain but retained his spot for the Australia tour alongside Virat Kohli. After retiring from Tests and T20IS, Rohit focused solely on the 50-over format. Under Rohit’s leadership, India secured back-to-back ICC titles, beginning with the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados and the Champions Trophy in March, winning every match. Rohit also starred with the bat, smashing 76 in the final against New Zealand to seal a historic triumph.
{{/usCountry}}Rohit Sharma reflects on ICC title triumphs
Reflecting on India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph and the Champions Trophy 2025 victory, Rohit said the team’s approach shifted after their heavy 10-wicket defeat to England in the 2022 T20 World Cup at Adelaide. The players collectively embraced a new strategy to ease the pressure on him and coach Rahul Dravid, while he didn't mention Gautam Gambhir's name, under whose guidance India won CT 2025 earlier this year.
"It is not about one year of work or two years of work. We had come so close to winning that trophy many times (during the 2014 T20 World Cup finals against Sri Lanka and the 2016 T20 WC semis versus West Indies), but we could not quite get over the line. That is where everyone decided that we needed to do something different. One or two players cannot do it. You need everyone to buy into that thought. That was really good from the team, and that is something that helped me and Rahul Dravid, when we were planning for the T20 World Cup and then on to the Champions Trophy," he added.