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Indian captain Rohit Sharma has defended his outburst against Kuldeep Yadav in the ICC Men's Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia, saying his actions aren't meant to hurt anyone. Quite often, Rohit, 37, has been seen calling out his players for being lazy on the field and not doing the needful. Even in the semi-final against Australia, Rohit and Virat Kohli expressed fury at Kuldeep after he let the ball go without attempting to collect it.
Then, in the final against New Zealand, Ravindra Jadeja and Virat had a go at Kuldeep after he didn't run back behind the stumps to gather the throw. As a result, India missed out on the chance of running out Michael Bracewell. In an interview with JioHotstar after the Champions Trophy win, Rohit Sharma explained the rationale behind players expressing their feelings on the field.
He also spoke about getting a little "carried away" at times, saying it's all in the "spirit of the game." "We have an incredibly solid team, and it’s a joy to play alongside such committed individuals. Everyone knows their role and responsibilities.
Of course, emotions run high on the field. Sometimes, I get a bit carried away, but it’s all in the spirit of the game," said Rohit Sharma. "The words exchanged on the ground aren’t meant to hurt anyone or show off—they are just an expression of our passion.
At the end of the day, our main goal is to win, and we are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve that," he added. Kuldeep Yadav was the star of the show in the final against New Zealand, taking key wickets of Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson. Rohit impresses in the final against New Zealand In the ICC Men's Champions Trophy final against New Zealand, Rohit Sharma played a knock of 76, helping India chase down 252.
In the group stage and semi-final, Rohit failed to go big, but the senior pro stepped up when it mattered the most. India remained undefeated throughout the tournament, and this feat can be considered all the more remarkable, considering Rohit Sharma didn't win a single toss in the eight-team tournament. "We went undefeated despite losing all five tosses.
Yet, we still won the trophy. Across the five matches we played, we didn’t lose a single one. Winning a tournament without a single defeat is a massive achievement in itself, and it gives me immense satisfaction," said Rohit.
"To be honest, until we won the trophy, no one really thought about it. But after the victory, it hit us—we had gone through the entire tournament undefeated. That realisation made it even more special.
It’s difficult to put into words how that feels right now," he added. Rohit Sharma has confirmed that he isn't looking to retire from the ODI format. However, he is also tight-lipped about whether he will play in the 2027 World Cup.
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