IND vs BAN: Aakash Chopra reveals moment that turned Rohit Sharma into one of the all-time greats

Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma's journey to cricketing stardom is nothing short of a rollercoaster. Rohit, who is now leading India to new heights, had a bumpy start to his international career, marked by struggles and missed opportunities.

The right-handed batter was part of India's victorious T20 World Cup squad in 2007, but consistency was not on his side. Despite flashes of brilliance, Rohit failed to cement his spot in the Indian team, and he was shockingly left out of the squad for the victorious 2011 ODI World Cup campaign.

Aakash Chopra explains how the 2011 World Cup snub fueled Rohit Sharma's transformation into a legend

This exclusion was a significant blow, and even the Indian skipper admitted the same. But Rohit Sharma used it as fuel to reinvent himself, according to Aakash Chopra. The heartbreak of missing out on the ODI World Cup 2011 clearly lit a fire in him, as his grit and perseverance transformed his career.

Fast forward to 2013, and Rohit’s career took a dramatic turn when he was handed the responsibility of opening the innings for India during the ICC Champions Trophy by the legendary captain MS Dhoni. It was a move that changed his fate forever.

Opening with explosive Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma not only cemented his place in the Indian cricket team but began crafting his legacy as one of the most prolific opening batters the game has ever seen in white-ball cricket.

All thanks to Dhoni, Rohit's reinvention as an opener saw him dominate bowling attacks across the globe, eventually earning him a place among the all-time greats. Today, he is carrying the weight of millions of expectations as an Indian captain.

Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra recalled Rohit’s early career, saying he struggled to convert starts into big scores and faced a major setback in 2011 when he was left out of the ODI World Cup squad.

Opening gave Rohit Sharma the freedom to play his natural game: Aakash Chopra

The cricket pundit further noted that the real game-changer came in 2013 when Rohit Sharma began opening alongside Dhawan in the ICC Champions Trophy. Aakash Chopra said that the opener’s role allowed the Hitman to play more freely, and it marked the beginning of his rise to becoming one of the most prolific limited-over openers.

Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel: “Rohit's starting years in international cricket were like a rollercoaster. His talent was evident, but he couldn't convert his starts into big scores. He had a big setback in 2011 when Rohit was left out of the ICC World Cup squad. It was a devastating moment for Rohit. A pivotal moment in Rohit Sharma's career was when he was opening with Shikhar Dhawan in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.”

Chopra further noted, “Opening gave him the freedom to play his natural game, and Rohit's career started soaring from there. Rohit entered the golden phase of his career after 2013. Rohit became the most prolific batter in limited-overs cricket. He was recognized for his ability to play long innings and accelerate. Rohit's ability to shift gears during his innings has become legendary.”