Former India captain Rohit Sharma reflected back on the profound emotional toll of India’s 2023 ODI World Cup final loss, admitting the heartbreak was so intense that he considered walking away from the sport. For a player who views cricket as his entire life, the defeat was a devastating blow, especially given the team's dominant performance throughout the tournament. India had embarked on an incredible campaign on home soil, stringing together ten consecutive victories to reach the final with an aura of invincibility.
Rohit Sharma opens up on ODI World Cup 2023 final heartbreak
However, that dream journey met a crushing end in Ahmedabad on November 19, when India faltered at the final stage. Australia's clinical performance secured them their sixth world title, leaving the host nation and its captain in a state of shock. The weight of falling just one step short of glory after such a flawless run proved to be a turning point for Rohit’s mental wellbeing.
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In the aftermath of the defeat, Rohit sought a period of isolation to process the loss, opting to step away from the public eye. He took a significant break from the game, choosing to sit out the subsequent white-ball series against both Australia and South Africa. This hiatus allowed him the necessary time to recover from the exhaustion and disappointment of the tournament before returning to the fold yet again.
Almost two years later, Rohit yet again recalled that tough time after the 2023 ODI World Cup final pain and how he came back from it.
Here's is what the chief guest Rohit said at Masters Union in Gurgaon:
"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.
"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. It took some time, a lot of energy, and self-reflection to get back. 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 easily."
"Slowly, I found my way back putting in the effort, regaining the energy, and getting myself moving again on the field."
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Rohit's ODI World Cup dream still alive
While the sting of the 2023 ODI World Cup loss was profound, Rohit leadership eventually reached historic heights. He successfully channeled that disappointment into a relentless pursuit of silverware, guiding India to a triumphant T20 World Cup title in 2024 and following it up with a prestigious Champions Trophy victory in 2025. Rohit remains driven by the one major trophy that eluded him on home soil. He has now officially shifted his focus toward the 2027 ODI World Cup, viewing it as the ultimate goal to complete his trophy cabinet. Winning that tournament would represent the final chapter of his illustrious career, finally satisfying his competitive hunger once and for all.