Former India ODI captain Rohit Sharma reflected on the heartbreak of losing the 2023 World Cup final, revealing that the defeat to Australia made him consider stepping away from the game. He led India from the front throughout the tournament, guiding the hosts to an unbeaten run until the final in Ahmedabad.
Rohit enjoyed an outstanding campaign, scoring 597 runs in 11 matches at an average of 54.27 and a strike rate of 125.94. However, India came up against a well-prepared Australian side in the final. Batting first, the hosts were restricted to 240 in their 50 overs, a target Australia chased down comfortably with six wickets in hand, powered by Travis Head’s brilliant 137 off 120 deliveries.
Speaking at an event, Rohit Sharma was asked about his feelings following the loss and how he managed to cope with the disappointment. The former skipper admitted it was a deeply challenging phase for him, especially as winning a World Cup had been a personal objective after taking over the captaincy in 2022.
“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.”
“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,” said Rohit.
"After the loss in Ahmedabad I honestly felt like I didn’t want to play this Cricket anymore"
Rohit Sharma spoke about what happened after the loss in the 2023 World Cup final in Ahmedabad.🗣️-
"Everybody was extremely disappointed, and we just couldn’t believe what had… pic.twitter.com/wpKUjYvMYl
— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) December 21, 2025
“Didn’t Want To Play Anymore”: Rohit Sharma On Post-World Cup Heartbreak
Rohit admitted that although he needed to refocus swiftly for the 2024 T20 World Cup, the pain of the defeat was so intense that it left him feeling completely drained, with nothing more to offer the game.
“I guess when you invest so much into something and don’t achieve the result, it’s a very natural reaction. That’s exactly what happened with me. But I also knew that life doesn’t end there. It was a big lesson for me how to deal with disappointment, reset, and start fresh.”
“I knew that something else was coming the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies and I had to shift all my focus towards that. It’s very easy to say this now, but at that moment, it was extremely difficult.”
“At one point, I honestly 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,” said Rohit.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
