Mumbai legend Amol Muzumdar has disclosed how Rohit Sharma’s career turnaround was prompted by the devastating 2011 World Cup rejection.
The right-handed batsman participated in the 2007 T20 World Cup winning squad and made his debut for India in the same year. Prior to making a significant cameo in the match against Pakistan, he had also produced a brilliant fifty in the pivotal match against South Africa.
Introduction
Rohit Sharma is currently one of the most successful batsmen in the world. He is the captain of the Indian cricket team and has led them to numerous victories. However, there was a time when Rohit was struggling to find his place in the Indian team. He was even snubbed from the 2011 World Cup squad, which went on to win the tournament.
In a recent interview, former Indian cricketer Amol Muzumdar revealed that the snub from the 2011 World Cup squad was a heartbreaking moment for Rohit. However, it also motivated him to turn his career around.
The Heartbreaking Snub
Prior to the 2011 World Cup, Rohit Sharma was playing well as he scored two centuries against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka respectively. He was playing well in the IPL too. Surprisingly, though, he was left off of the final World Cup roster.
The snub was a huge blow to Rohit’s confidence. He was devastated and didn’t know what to do. However, he decided to use the snub as motivation to turn his career around.
Turning His Career Around
After being snubbed from the 2011 World Cup squad, Rohit Sharma decided to work hard and improve his game. He worked on his fitness and batting technique. He also started to play more consistently.
Rohit’s hard work paid off and he soon became one of the most important players in the Indian team. He scored centuries at will and helped India to win numerous matches. He also became a regular member of the Indian team in all three formats of the game.
Amol Mazumdar says 2011 World Cup Snub Turned Rohit Sharma Career Around
“According to me, when he wasn’t selected in that 2011 World Cup where the team happened to go and win the tournament, that really upset him. After that, he’s just been excellent. When he got the captaincy (in the IPL) later, it added responsibility on his shoulders, and he really matured.
“And he’s never looked back after that. That was one setback which he took positively and turned it around for himself,” Mazumdar said on Star Sports show, “Follow the Blues”.
“I want to highlight 3 things about his captaincy. The first one is that Rohit Sharma gives a lot of weightage and importance to data and statistics. The second one is, he keeps things very simple and tries to make his team members to think simple. He keeps everyone in the team in a very cool and calm atmosphere.
“And, the third one, which is the most important point, is that he has that magical touch in him. Whatever changes he makes, that comes out like a magical touch, like, for example, Mumbai Indians got that magical touch in their team after Rohit Sharma became their captain,” Muzumdar added.
Rohit Sharma’s story is an inspiration to all cricketers. It shows that even if you are facing setbacks, you can still achieve your dreams if you work hard and never give up.
In the Meantime, Rohit Sharma Led team have started their World Cup 2023 campaign by winning their three consecutive matches defeating Australia, Afghanistan and Pakistan respectively. Their next match is on Thursday (October 19) against Bangladesh at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune