‘I Had Nothing Left’: Rohit Sharma Reveals Retirement Thoughts After 2023 World Cup Final Loss

Former India captain Rohit Sharma has made a candid and emotional revelation, admitting that he seriously contemplated retirement after India’s heartbreaking defeat to Australia in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup final, saying the sport had “taken everything out of me”.

Under Rohit’s leadership, India enjoyed a near-perfect campaign at home, winning nine consecutive matches to storm into the final. However, Australia crushed India’s title hopes in Ahmedabad, with Travis Head’s match-winning century proving decisive in the biggest game of the tournament.

Speaking at a Masters’ Union event in Gurugram on Sunday, Rohit opened up about the mental toll the six-wicket loss to Australia took on him.

“After 2023 World Cup final, I was completely 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,” Rohit said.

Final Loss ‘Very Tough Time’ For Rohit

Rohit explained that walking away briefly from the game was not about form or fitness, but emotional exhaustion after giving everything to India’s World Cup campaign.

“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,” Rohit said. “Slowly, I found my way back, regaining the energy and getting myself moving again on the field.”

“Everybody was extremely disappointed, and we just couldn't believe what had happened,” the batter added. “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.”

Rohit Sharma was one of the key players for India during their World Cup run in 2023, ending the tournament as the second-highest run-scorer with 597 runs in 11 innings, with an average of 54.27. Only Virat Kohli (765 runs) was higher on the list.

Even during the final match against Australia, Rohit managed 47 runs off 31 balls, including four fours and three sixes, helping India reach a total of 240. However, Australia chased it down with seven overs to spare.

One Final Goal: 2027 ODI World Cup

The defeat marked a turning point in Rohit’s career. He has since retired from T20Is and Tests, and was removed from India’s ODI captaincy earlier this year. However, the 36-year-old continues to play 50-over cricket, with one final ambition still driving him – playing in the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Despite the devastation of November 2023, Rohit said his motivation had always been singular, which is winning a World Cup for India.

“My only goal was to win the World Cup, whether it was the T20 World Cup or the 2023 World Cup,” he said. “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.”

Less than a year later, redemption arrived when Rohit captained India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title in the USA and West Indies, though he admitted overcoming the pain of the ODI final loss was far from easy.

“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,” Rohit said.

(With PTI Inputs)