Indian captain Rohit Sharma has opened up about the difficult times he faced following the completion of the ODI World Cup 2023, and he was pleased with the support the Indian team received throughout the competitions on home soil, as fans went out in big numbers for every India match.

Following the loss against Australia, Team India rested a few senior Indian players for the five-match T20 series on home soil, including Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli. The captain went on vacation with his family before returning to train for the forthcoming Test series against South Africa, which begins on December 26.

In an emotional video greeting for fans released today, Rohit Sharma reflects on the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 and recounts the challenges and emotions he had during the tournament in the home conditions.

From the fundamental connection between players and spectators to the influence of the game, his ideas echo with the hardships and successes of the World Cup trip that all supporters experienced.

“After the final, it was very hard to get back and start moving on, which is why I decided that I needed to get my mind out of this. But then, wherever I was, I realised that people were coming up to me and they were appreciating everyone’s effort, and how well we played.

“I feel for all of them. They all, along with us, were dreaming of lifting that World Cup, along with us,” Rohit Sharma said.

“Everywhere we went during this entire campaign, there was so much support from everyone who came to the stadium first and people who were watching it from home as well.

“I want to appreciate what the people have done for us, in that one and half month period. But again, if I think more and more about that I feel quite disappointed that we were not able to go all the way,” Rohit Sharma added.

In the 2023 edition, Rohit Sharma became the first batter in history to score 500 runs in consecutive ODI World Cups. The captain has a lot to look forward to in the coming months, including the critical Test series against South Africa and England followed by the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he is likely to captain the side.