How was Rohit Sharma forced to retire after 2023 World Cup loss?

Rohit Sharma said he was completely devastated and didn’t want to play cricket after India’s defeat in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Indian Cricket Team opener Rohit Sharma has made a shocking revelation that he wished to retire after losing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The right-handed batsman also stated that he was devastated after India’s defeat in the summit clash against Australia.

Led by Rohit, India showcased a marvellous effort in the tournament and were unbeaten in the league stage. They dominated every other team, winning nine games in a row. Crushing New Zealand in the semi-final by 70 runs, the Men in Blue bagged a spot in the final on back of ten straight wins.

However, they failed to outplay Australia in the summit clash, despite being the red-hot favourites to win the match. With a stunning century by Travis Head, the Pat Cummins & Co. chased down a 241-run target by six wickets in the encounter, overpowering the hosts on their home soil.

I was completely distraught and felt like I didn’t want to play this sport anymore: Rohit Sharma

Speaking at the Masters Union event on Sunday (December 21), Rohit revealed that he was devastated by India’s defeat against Australia and didn’t want to play anymore. However, he regained his energy and moved on from the heartbreaking defeat slowly.

“After 2023 World Cup final, I was completed distraught and felt like I didn’t want to play this sport anymore because it had taken everything out of me and I felt I had nothing left,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.

“It took some time and I kept reminding myself that this is something I truly love, that it was right in front of me, and I couldn’t let it go so easy. Slowly, I found my way back, regaining the energy and getting myself moving again on the field,” he added.

Sharma also added that every Indian player was disappointed and they couldn’t believe what had happened. He also added that his goal was to win a World Cup for India at any cost.

“Everybody was extremely disappointed, and we just couldn’t believe what had happened. It was a very tough time for me personally because I had put everything into that World Cup not just two or three months before it, but ever since I took over the captaincy in 2022,” the 38-year-old further added.

“My only goal was to win the World Cup, whether it was the T20 World Cup or the 2023 World Cup. So when it didn’t happen, I was completely devastated. There was no energy left in my body. It took me a couple of months to recover and bring myself back,” he concluded.

Just after seven months of losing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final, the Rohit Sharma & Co. bounced back in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. They won the tournament by crushing South Africa in the final by seven runs.

Moreover, Rohit also helped the nation to win an ICC title after 11 years. Earlier this year, the right-handed batsman led the team to victory in ICC Champions Trophy 2025, winning the second ICC title under his captaincy.

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