‘I'm not sure if...’: Rohit Sharma’s remark adds to Gambhir’s lighthearted ‘farewell match’ joke
Sydney: India captain Rohit Sharma has hinted that this could be his last tour of Australia, admitting uncertainty about returning to his “cricketing heartland” after India’s nine-wicket victory over the hosts in the third ODI on Saturday.
Rohit and Virat Kohli, both now limited-overs specialists after retiring from Tests and T20Is, combined once again to rescue India from a potential series whitewash. Their unbeaten 168-run partnership powered India to a consolatory win, with Rohit scoring a sublime 121 and Kohli contributing 74.
Earlier, a conversation between India head coach Gautam Gambhir and Sharma went viral online. In a short clip making the rounds on social media, Gambhir can be seen jokingly telling Rohit, “Rohit, sabko lag rha tha ki aaj farewell match thha, ek photo to lagaa do.” The video, reportedly made after the second ODI in Adelaide, appears to have been caught on camera by a fan at the Indian team’s hotel in Australia.
Following the match on Saturday, he said, "Always love coming here and playing here. Fond memories of 2008. I'm not sure if we'll be coming back to Australia, but we enjoy our cricket no matter what accolades we achieve.”
Reflecting on the challenges of playing in Australia, he added, “We started afresh in Perth — that's how I look at things.”
Rohit underlined the value of experience and mentorship in the current phase of his career.
"You expect tough pitches and quality bowlers in Australia. Playing here is never easy. We couldn't win the series, but there are plenty of positives. It's a young side, and there will be a lot of learnings.
"When I came into the squad, seniors helped us a lot; now it's our job to do the same. We need to guide them, create game plans, and go back to basics, which I still do every time I play here,” he said.
For Rohit, the connection with Australia transcends the results.
“I've had great memories here — from the SCG to Perth. I love playing here and hope to continue doing what I do,” he said, acknowledging the emotional bond he shares with the country and its fans.
Kohli, too, echoed similar sentiments about growth and experience.
"You might have played international cricket for a long time, but the game teaches you something at every stage. Situations in the middle bring out the best in me. From early on, we've understood the situation well, that's what we've always done well (as a pair).
"We're probably the most experienced pair now, but back in the day when we were young - we knew we could take the game away from them with big partnerships.
"It all started in 2013 (the home series against Australia), if we put up a big partnership, we know we'll go a long way in helping the team win,” Kohli said.
He also thanked the Australian crowd for their support, adding, “We've loved coming to this country, we've played some good cricket, thank you guys for coming in big numbers and supporting us.”