New Delhi, 01 October (H.S.): Indian opener Rohit Sharma has set his sights on the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, saying he wants to experience once again the special feeling of winning a World Cup for India. The schedule for the tournament is set to be announced at 8:30 pm today on JioHotstar and the Star Sports network.

In an interaction with JioStar, Rohit spoke about captain Shubman Gill, preparations for the 2027 World Cup and his desire to help India win another World Cup.

Speaking about Gill’s captaincy, Rohit said the young batter has an excellent cricketing mind and that it would be too early to assess his performance as captain. “Shubman Gill has a brilliant cricketing mind, there is no doubt about that. He has been captain for about a year, so it would not be right to assess him so quickly as a captain. But from what I have seen of him, he has been impressive. He is very clear about what he wants, and that is one of the most important qualities for a captain,” Rohit said.

He added that clarity from the captain helps the rest of the team remain focused. “If the captain is clear, the players around him will also be clear. That is what I see with Shubman. He knows what he wants and is moving in the right direction. Of course, every captain needs the support of his players and support staff. I am sure I will help him in whatever way I can,” Rohit said.

Rohit also stressed that he would continue to support Gill despite the latter taking over the captaincy. “Shubman is the captain, but that does not mean I should distance myself from him or speak to him less. Ever since he made his debut, we have been moving in the same direction. That is how it should be, and that should not change for any reason,” he said.

“He needs the team’s trust and needs to know that everyone is moving forward together. Our job is to support him and take the team forward,” Rohit added.

On the significance of winning the 2027 ODI World Cup, Rohit said it would be a special achievement. “Winning the upcoming ODI World Cup would be fantastic, that is all I would say. I do not want to look at it as completing a cycle or anything like that. Winning a World Cup for India is a special feeling,” he said.

Rohit recalled experiencing that feeling twice in the T20 format. “In 2007, I was just 20 years old. It was obviously a big tournament and winning the World Cup in the very first year was fantastic. Then we won the Champions Trophy in 2013, followed by a long period of nearly 11 years without an ICC title,” he said.

Reflecting on India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, Rohit said the victory reminded him of how significant winning an ICC title can be.

“When we won the T20 World Cup in 2024, I realised again how important it was. That feeling is still very much within me. I know what it feels like to win a World Cup, so I want that feeling again,” Rohit said.

“We cannot put into words the joy we experienced during that time because nothing can really compare with it. That is why winning the World Cup is very important to me—I want to experience that feeling once again,” he added.

On preparing for the 2027 World Cup while remaining focused on the present, Rohit said his immediate priority was to maintain his fitness and continue performing consistently.

“I want to keep myself capable enough until 2027. I want to remain fit, keep working hard and perform well in every tournament that comes my way. That is what I need to think about and do. My immediate goal is to do well in whatever is in front of me,” he said.

Rohit said thinking too far ahead would not help his game. “Thinking about next October from now will not help my game. What will help me is staying in the present, taking on every challenge that comes my way and continuing to move forward,” he said.

He added that he intended to follow the same approach that had guided his career so far. “That is how I have progressed in life, step by step, and I need to continue doing the same. Basically, I do not need to change anything. I want to continue my journey in the same way it has gone so far,” Rohit said.

“I want to keep working hard on my batting, focus on my fitness, help the players in the team and provide my inputs wherever they are needed. That is all,” he added.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar