Even more than a year after stepping away from T20Is and bringing his Test career to a close in May, former India captain Rohit Sharma admitted he is still adjusting to life after international retirement in the shortest format. Rohit, one of only two players in history to feature in all nine editions of the T20 World Cup, will miss the milestone 2026 event—set to be hosted by India next February—following his retirement from T20Is last June.
For Rohit, the idea of “sitting at home and watching the next World Cup on TV” remains a new and unfamiliar reality.
On Tuesday, during the unveiling ceremony of the T20 World Cup 2026 schedule in Mumbai, Rohit was announced as the tournament ambassador by ICC chairman Jay Shah. The honour, he said, is a first-of-its-kind moment in his career.
“It is a great honour to be here. Thank you to Jay Shah. I was just telling someone that while playing, nobody has been announced as the ICC ambassador. So it is a great privilege for me. Hopefully, we can create that magic again with a different bunch of players this time around,” said Rohit.
Reflecting on His ICC Trophies and the Long Wait
Rohit also spoke about his three ICC trophies—two of which he won as captain—and the immense pressure the team carried during the nine-year drought between 2014 and 2023.
“It is a huge task to win an ICC trophy. I have seen that personally; I have completed 18 years of playing international cricket and have been fortunate enough to win two recently and one at the beginning of my career. Then, in the middle, there was a huge drought, during which we could not win an ICC trophy. And I know how desperate the team was, and hence it felt good to finally win those two trophies,” he said.
Still Adjusting to Retirement—but Learning to Enjoy It
With Suryakumar Yadav now set to lead India at the T20 World Cup 2026, Rohit acknowledged that stepping away from the dressing room environment has been a major shift.
“Now to sit on the other side and watch the T20 World Cup, having played all the World Cups before, will feel different. I am still getting used to sitting at home and watching it on TV. It’s different, but I’m enjoying it,” Rohit said.
“I’m Still Playing”: Rohit Confirms On-Field Return
Despite retiring from Test cricket and T20Is, Rohit reminded fans that he remains an active professional cricketer. He will return to action later this week in Ranchi for the three-match ODI series against South Africa.
“Look, I will be meeting these guys soon. I am still playing,” he concluded with a smile.