Dejected Rohit looks ahead as India fall short on biggest stage

Disappointed India Captain Rohit Sharma has admitted his side was outplayed for the majority of the ICC World Test Championship Final in London and Australia were deserved winners.

Australia clinched a dominant 209-run victory early on the fifth day of an enthralling contest at The Oval on Sunday, with India’s last seven wickets falling meekly for just 70 runs.

It was India’s second consecutive loss in World Test Championship finals – after they suffered a similar fate against New Zealand in 2021 – and Rohit said his side lost the game on the opening day of the match when first innings centurions Travis Head and Steve Smith started to get on top of his bowlers.

“Having won the toss and put them in, I thought after the first session we had a good chance of getting them out quickly,” Rohit said after the match.

“But two of their batters Smith and Head particularly played well and we went slightly away from our (bowling) plans. We didn’t execute what we should have on that pitch because there was a lot of assistance on the pitch and we failed to do that and that can happen.” 

The loss in south London means India have failed to claim a men’s ICC trophy in almost 10 years, with their last major success coming in England at the 2013 Champions Trophy when Rohit was part of the side that defeated England in the final in Birmingham.

It’s a drought that causes lots of anguish to the majority of the large population back in India and this fact is not lost on Rohit as he knows everyone is hurting.

“It is disappointing to not come out on top, given (we have had) a shot at a couple of finals now in World Test Championships,” Rohit said.

“You get dejected. There is no doubt about it and it does disappoint, not just me, but I’m sure everyone in the changing room is disappointed because you work really hard for it. To not see the result that you want to, it can be very disheartening and that is what everyone’s feeling right now. But the sport is all about picking yourself up and getting ready for the next big event that you have.”

While Rohit will lead India to the home ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup later this year, there remain question marks surrounding his future and the future of many of his teammates ahead of the next World Test Championship cycle that will be completed in 2025.

Former skipper Virat Kohli, reliable No.3 Cheteshwar Pujara, recalled batter Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit himself are all aged above 34 and will be in the twilight of their careers in two years’ time should they maintain form and still be part of India’s Test XI when the next Final comes around.

Rohit said planning for the future is always at the back of his mind and he will be searching hard to find the right mix of players that will help India to that elusive World Test Championship title.

“Any tournament you play, you start looking at what possibly you can do moving ahead,” Rohit said.

“There will be some talks around it and we’ll see whatever is required and whatever is best, whatever the brand of cricket we want to play in the next two years. And who are the guys who can do that role for us? That is the question that we need to find answers for. There are a lot of guys, there are a lot of players who are doing really well in our domestic cricket as well. It’s just about finding them and giving them that space, enough time to go forward and do the job for us.”