Rohit Sharma has had his ups and downs with the Indian team through the years. Since his debut for the national team in June 2007, the Mumbai batter has enjoyed some good, some great, some disappointing times.
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As far as the World Cup is concerned, there is a kind of love-hate relationship between Rohit and the tournament. Here, The Sporting News looks at his journey during from being dropped in 2011 to captaining the side in 2023.
2011 World Cup: Rohit Sharma snubbed as India return victorious
Rohit made his India debut in the aftermath of the team's disastrous campaign in 2007, where they failed to make it out of the group stage. By the time 2011 rolled around, he was more or less a regular in the side and was expected to be a part of India's World Cup squad.
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But Rohit was left out, in a decision reportedly made by captain MS Dhoni, who wanted Piyush Chawla in the side instead. Rohit admitted in an interview later that he was disappointed, and had almost decided not watch the tournament at all.
Really really disappointed of not being the part of the WC squad..I need to move on frm here..but honestly it was a big setback..any views!
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) January 31, 2011
India famously won the cup that year, with Dhoni finishing off the run-chase in the final with a spectacular six over long on.
2015 World Cup: Rohit Sharma gets his chance
Rohit, who had batted mainly in the middle order till 2011, began opening the innings regularly from 2013 onwards. The move proved to be a masterstroke as he began to pile on the runs, even scoring 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014.
He became an almost automatic selection for the 2015 World Cup, and his partnership at the top with Shikhar Dhawan had begun to click quite ominously for opposition bowlers.
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At the World Cup in Australia & New Zealand, he scored 330 runs in 8 innings, averaging 47 at a strike rate of 91. His best innings was a brilliant 137 against Bangladesh, but India exited the tournament at the semi-final stage to eventual champions Australia.
2019 World Cup: Rohit Sharma shows the world his best
By the time the 2019 came around, Rohit was close to the first name on the teamsheet for India. He and Dhawan had monopolised the opening slots, to the extent that players like Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul had to play down the order if they wanted to stay in the team.
Big things were expected of the pair, and Rohit himself, as India geared up for the World Cup in England, under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, who had taken over from Dhoni.
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Rohit began the tournament with a bang, scoring 122 against South Africa in India's opening game before lighting the stage on fire with 140 against Pakistan. He scored a total of five centuries in the tournament, racking up 648 runs to finish as the top run-scorer. Unfortunately, he was dismissed for just one in the semi-final as India lost to New Zealand.
2023 World Cup: Captain Rohit Sharma
In December 2021, when Kohli relinquished captaincy of India's white-ball sides, Rohit Sharma was named his successsor. In a way, 2023 represents an opportunity for his life to come full circle.
The last time India lifted the cup was in 2011. The last time India hosted the tournament was in 2011. The last time Rohit failed to make a World Cup squad was in 2011. If he can lead India to victory here, it would not only be a magnificent team achievement but would also have massive personal significance for him.