Rohit Sharma Reflects on India-Australia Rivalry in ICC Tournaments

Rohit Sharma Discusses Intense Rivalry with Australia

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 27: Rohit Sharma, the captain of India's ODI team, recently shared his insights regarding the fierce competition between India and Australia in significant ICC events.

In the 2023 World Cup final held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19, the Australian team triumphed over Sharma's squad by six wickets.

However, during the T20 World Cup in the West Indies in 2024, India managed to secure a 24-run victory against Australia in the Super Eight stage on June 24, which allowed them to progress to the semi-finals.

Reflecting on the desire for retribution against the Australian team, Rohit stated in an interview on JioHotstar, “Australia spoiled our November 19 during the ODI World Cup Final, so we aimed to give them a taste of their own medicine. This was a topic of discussion in the dressing room. We were determined that a win in this match would eliminate Australia from the T20 World Cup.”

Rohit also highlighted his impressive performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight match against Australia, where he scored 92 runs off just 41 balls, featuring eight sixes and seven fours, achieving a remarkable strike rate of 224.39.

“When I stepped onto the field against Australia in the 2024 T20 World Cup, my sole focus was to score runs. I was determined to perform well and attack every Australian bowler,” he remarked.

On June 29 of the previous year in Barbados, India ended an 11-year wait for an ICC trophy by defeating South Africa by seven runs, claiming the ICC T20 World Cup title for the second time. This victory marked Rohit's second T20 World Cup title and his first ICC title as captain, following the disappointment of losing to Australia in the 2023 World Cup final after a ten-match winning streak.