NEW DELHI: Indian batting stalwart Rohit Sharma has never been one to shy away from honest conversations, and in a recent interview with senior journalist Vimal Kumar, he spoke openly about how he deals with criticism, especially when it’s unnecessary.“I’ve faced a lot of criticism, even unnecessary criticism,” Rohit said. “I can’t say that criticism doesn’t affect anyone.It might affect some, and not others. But for me, it doesn’t anymore. With time, you learn to handle it. For any sportsperson, facing criticism is part of the journey. But what I don’t support is unnecessary criticism.”READ ALSO: Rohit Sharma breaks silence on ODI retirement, says ‘I will stop when … ‘The Indian skipper also addressed the long-standing chatter about his vulnerability against left-arm seamers. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“So much has been said about me getting out to left-arm seamers. Fine, it happens. That’s part of the game. But if you go around defending every comment, you’re just wasting your time. Defending myself is not my job,” Rohit added with clarity and calm.READ ALSO: ‘Bekaar’: Rohit Sharma makes shocking statement about naturally-gifted playerRohit, who recently retired from Test cricket, has had a remarkable career across formats.

In 273 ODIs, he has scored 11,168 runs at an average of 48.76, including the highest individual ODI score of 264. He led India to victory in the 2025 Champions Trophy after guiding the nation to a coveted T20 World Cup title last year.

However, with Rohit hanging his boots from the T20 format after the victory in Barbados, the 38-year-old continues to play a key role in ODI cricket.

His Test journey, which began in 2013 against the West Indies, included 67 matches, 4,301 runs, 12 centuries, and a highest score of 212. After initial struggles, especially overseas, Rohit cemented his place as a Test opener during the ICC World Test Championship. He was India’s top scorer and century-maker in WTC history, also guiding the team to the 2023 final.