Rohit Sharma’s blunt 2019 WC reminder on ’emulating 5 centuries in 2023′ query

Rohit Sharma had scripted one of the best and most memorable batting shows in the 2019 World Cup having scripted a stellar piece of tournament record.

He smashed five centuries – against South Africa, Pakistan, England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, in the tournament in nine matches, three of which came in a row, as the veteran India opener shattered Kumar Sangakkara’s 2015 World Cup record of four tons.

With India heading into another World Cup, four years since that magnificent feat, and with Rohit at helm, the expectation of a similar or even better has often been expressed to the captain himself over the last few weeks. But Rohit has responded with a rather blunt reminder of the 2019 World Cup, admitting that he cares no longer about how many centuries he ends up with.

The pressure will be different for Rohit this time, as he will be leading the team into an ODI World Cup tournament for the first time, although he is well acquainted with the expectations having earlier led the side in the T20 World Cup last year in Australia where the Menin Blue suffered a semi-final exit.

However, while India would want his captaincy acumen, where there isn’t any debate having won the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka last week to end India’s five-year trophyless drought in multi-nation events, the team would also want him to produce his best show in the World Cup. And that undoubtedly brings back the discussion on his performance in 2019 World Cup where he had smashed 648 runs, the highest by an Indian in a single edition and third best overall, at 81 with six fifty-plus scores.

On Tuesday, journalist Vimal Kumar released a part of his interview segment with Rohit on YouTube where he was asked on the expectation of fans and experts on emulating his 2019 World Cup performance as batter, but the India skipper rather responded by giving a hard-hitting reminder from the tournament saying that while he did achieve that record feat, the team did not win the trophy. Adding further, he admitted that he cares less about who scored how many tons in the tournament as the focus remains on India winning the World Cup trophy.

“I will try to perform well and be in a good frame of mind because that is what had happened in 2019 World Cup. I had practised really well that year. That is what I want this year as well. But again that was 2019, it’s 2023 now. We have this tendency of wanting things the way it happened in the past. Yes I scored 5 centuries last time but we also lost the World Cup. So everything should not fall in place like in 2019 World Cup. I don’t care if I score one or two hundreds or not a single at all, I want to win the World Cup. It doesn’t matter who scored how many hundreds, World Cup trophy matter. If you can’t win that, it will be a disappointment,” he said.

India will be aiming to lift their third World Cup title in 2023, adding to their 1983 and 2011 glory. But more importantly, the trophy will mark the end of India’s 10-year wait for an ICC trophy, having last won in 2013 in the Champions Trophy.

India will begin their World Cup campaign on October 8 against Australia in Chennai.