‘Entered the golden phase of his career after 2013’ – Aakash Chopra muses on Rohit Sharma’s cricketing journey

Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, had a wild beginning to his international career. Although he was a member of the Men in Blue’s winning Indian T20 World Cup team in 2007, Rohit was never a regular in the team. The Mumbai batsman was given a lot of chances, but his inconsistent play prevented him from securing a regular spot in the Indian team. In 2011, he was again left out of the squad for the ODI World Cup.

Former player Aakash Chopra recalled Rohit’s cricket career and said that he must have been hurt not to be included in the 2011 World Cup. Although the now 37-year-old has put in a lot of effort since then, he mentioned that Rohit’s career took a permanent turn in 2013. The outstanding batsman was selected to open for India in the 2013 Champions Trophy alongside Shikhar Dhawan, and it proved to be a great move as he not only solidified his spot in the starting XI but also rose to legendary status in the sport.

“Rohit experienced an exhilarating beginning to his international cricket career.” Despite his obvious potential, he was unable to turn his starts into significant scoring runs. When Rohit was left out of the ICC World Cup squad in 2011, it was a major blow to him. For Rohit, it was a sad time. When Rohit Sharma opened the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy with Shikhar Dhawan, it was a turning point in his career, Chopra posted on his YouTube account.

Opening gave Rohit Sharma the freedom to express: Aakash Chopra

“After being given the opportunity to play his natural game by opening, Rohit’s career took off. 2013 was the beginning of Rohit’s career’s golden age. The most productive batsman in limited-overs cricket is now Rohit. He was acknowledged for his ability to accelerate and play extended stretches of time. The former India opener continued, “Rohit’s ability to change gears during his innings has become legendary.”

Also Read: ‘Mera naam Jonty Rhodes, I’m based in Goa,’ Jonty Rhodes remarks on BCCI’s decision not to appoint a foreign fielding coach

In the meanwhile, Rohit was named India’s white-ball captain in 2021 and the captain of all forms in 2022. India competed in the 2023 World Test Championship and ODI World Cup finals under his direction, however they were not successful in winning the championship. However, in June, India defeated South Africa in the T20 World Cup final to finally win their first ICC trophy in almost a decade.