Rohit Sharma sat on flight and thought ‘these runs are of no use...’; everything changed after India's crushing loss

Rohit Sharma opened up on how a crushing defeat for Team India triggered a change in mindset for the batter.

Rohit Sharma has redefined his ODI blueprint in recent years, shifting gears from measured knocks to explosive intent at the top. This transformation came to full bloom during the 2023 World Cup, where his blistering starts consistently set the tone for India’s dominance through the tournament. The trend continued into the Champions Trophy earlier this year, where Rohit’s fearless approach helped India to the title.

India's captain Rohit Sharma during an ODI series against England earlier this year (AFP)

That earlier version of Rohit, the one that paced his innings with surgical patience, was no less lethal. His record – three double centuries in ODIs – stands as a testament to that style. Nothing, though, remains more symbolic than his golden run in the 2019 World Cup where he struck five centuries with supreme control.

Yet, the heartbreak of India’s semi-final exit in that tournament proved to be a turning point for the Indian batter. In a chat with Michael Clarke for Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, the opener decided to change his playing style after the loss, aligning with a team-first approach.

“It's about winning trophies, winning tournaments. That's one thing which I realised during the 2019 World Cup. I got five hundreds in that World Cup, but we ended up losing the semis. I sat on the flight the next day, realising all of these runs are of no use if you're not going through all the way. From there onwards, my mindset changed. It was all about winning games, winning tournaments, championships,” Rohit said.

Rohit as captain

Rohit Sharma’s evolution as a leader has gone hand-in-hand with a shift in mindset; one that prioritises collective success over individual glory. Reflecting on his captaincy journey, Rohit opened up about the importance of instilling a team-first culture in the Indian dressing room. He admitted that since taking over the reins, his focus has extended beyond his own performance.

“Since I've started captaining the Indian team, I felt not just me but the rest of the guys needs to also think alike, try and put the team first and do what is necessary for the team and not worry too much about my runs, my scores, my Hundreds, my 5 wickets,” Rohit said.