India’s captain Rohit Sharma poses for a picture with the trophy after the team’s win in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final match against New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: X/@ICC
Rohit Sharma has no reason to retire, says South African batting great AB de Villiers, who believes the India skipper could go down as one of the greatest ODI captains of all time.
Speculations were rife about Rohit’s retirement from ODIs after the Champions Trophy, but the 37-year-old put them to rest after leading India to an unprecedented third title.
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“Compared to other captains, look at Rohit’s win percentage — it’s almost 74%, which is substantially more than any other captain of the past,” de Villiers said in his YouTube channel.
“If he keeps going, he will go down as one of the best ODI captains of all time. Rohit has also said he is not retiring and has requested that rumours be stopped spreading.” Rohit smashed an 83-ball 76, playing a pivotal role in India’s tricky 252-run chase in the final against New Zealand in Dubai to win the player-of-the-match.
“Why would he retire? With that kind of record not only as captain but also as a batter. That 76 in the final, giving India a fantastic start, laying the foundation for success and leading from the front when the pressure was at its peak,” de Villiers said.
Hailing Rohit’s record as both a batter and captain, de Villiers was effusive in his praise for how the India captain transformed his batting in the ODI format over the last three years to win the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy in a span of nine months.
“Rohit Sharma has got no reason to retire. No reason to take any criticism whatsoever. His record speaks for himself. Not only that, but he has also sort of transformed his game,” he said.
“If we have a look at his strike rate in the Powerplay it was quite low for an opening batter but since 2022 his strike rate has risen to 115 in the first powerplay and that’s the difference between good and great.
“It’s transforming your own game and it never stops. You have always something to learn and something to do better,” he added.
Published – March 13, 2025 01:02 pm IST