NEW DELHI: India entered the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as favorites, and Rohit Sharma’s men lived up to expectations, fulfilling the dreams of billions by clinching the coveted trophy with a victory over New Zealand in the final.
Beyond the title triumph, a major talking point was the future of Indian stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, with speculation rife that the duo might retire from ODI cricket after the tournament.
The two had already bid farewell to T20Is following India’s T20 World Cup victory last June, where they defeated South Africa in the final in Barbados.
However, after India’s Champions Trophy win, a viral video on social media captured Rohit telling Kohli that he had no intention of retiring.
“Bhai hum koi retire nahi ho rahe hain, inko lag raha hai (We are not retiring. These people think),” Rohit is heard saying in Hindi, as the two shared a laugh.
Rohit played a crucial role in the final, scoring a match-winning 76 against New Zealand.
Addressing the retirement rumors post-match, Rohit made it clear that he wasn’t stepping away from ODIs anytime soon.
“I am not going to retire from this (ODI) format. Going forward, please don’t spread rumours,” he said at the post-match press conference.
When asked about his future plans, Rohit remained non-committal.
“No future plans. Jo ho raha hain, woh chalta jayega (Whatever is happening will keep continuing),” he remarked.
Rohit also dedicated the Champions Trophy triumph to the nation.
“To the whole country because I know that our country has been so much behind us. When you win the finals of any tournament, and especially in India, we know that wherever we play, we get good support.
“So, winning this trophy makes the whole team so happy that we did it for our country,” he said.
