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Rohit Sharma revealed the most painful moment of his career, one that has haunted him for nearly two decades. Rohit made his Team India debut in 2007; since then, he has collected countless memories, some glittering, others bitter for the batter.
Ups and downs are part of every sportsperson's life. Rohit Sharma is not an exception. He endured multiple setbacks, but there is one incident that he was never able to digest; probably he will not be able to do that in the future as well.
Rohit Sharma reveals his most painful experience as a Team India cricketer
Speaking on his TV show 'Family Full House with Rohit Sharma', the former India captain mentioned that the defeat at the 2023 ODI World Cup final remains the worst hit of his entire career. India needed only one win to claim the trophy, but the Australian cricket team was too good against the Rohit Sharma-led team that day, flipping the momentum at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
India secured their place in the Final as the undefeated team in the tournament. As the host of the World Cup, and with the future the team had shown throughout the tournament, the momentum was with the Indian cricket team.
India got only 240 runs in the first innings, as apart from Rohit, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, none of the Indian batters did well that night. Travis Head single-handedly took the momentum away from the Men in Blue with the bat in the second innings, scoring 137 runs off 120 balls. Head was named the Player of the Match for his match-defining knock.
India lost to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final
Rohit stated that from 2007, the defeat in the 2023 World Cup final was the toughest period. Until the final, Team India probably ticked every possible box, and then suddenly, the hard hit in the title decider.
"That was the toughest phase of my career. From 2007 until now, I have never experienced a period like this. It felt really bad because we were playing so well that it never seemed like we would lose. But that is sport. Just when you think everything is going well, something happens that pushes you down. That is what sport teaches you," Rohit Sharma said.
India bounced back to win the 2024 T20 World Cup title
He tried to explore the positive side of the defeat. Rohit felt that defeat against Australia fueled the desperation and hunger inside the team to win the 2024 T20 World Cup title.
"Maybe that desperation and hunger would not have been there in the 2024 T20 World Cup if we had not suffered that defeat. I think failure teaches you more than success. For every November 19, there is a June 29," he added.
In the 2024 T20 World Cup at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, Team India won the trophy, defeating South Africa by seven runs. South Africa was restricted to 169/8 against India's 176/7.
