New York (USA): As India are ready to take on Ireland in their campaign opener of the T20 World Cup, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma talked about the legacy he will be leaving behind and his aim to leave a mark for the coming generation.
The 37-year-old, who debuted against England in the 2007 T20 World Cup, smashed a crucial half-century in his first-ever T20I innings against the formidable South African side and won the Player of the Match. The right-handed batter, who was part of India's T20 World Cup title triumph in 2007, believes that winning a World Cup is the “most prestigious” achievement a player can accomplish in his or her career. He hopes to make a positive impact on the future generation of cricketers.
"It's always been the dream to win World Cups. Winning the World Cup is the most prestigious thing that you can ever do. And for me, nothing changes from all the World Cups that I have played. I always wanted to win and I will still keep driving towards that,” he said in a video posted by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
"As a player of the national team, our responsibility is to encourage the next generation to take up the sport and play the sport. So I think that is something that I want to leave behind, leave a mark on the next generation who are going to follow us, the way we play, the way we carry ourselves on the field. Those are the things that I'll be really proud of if I can leave something behind on those lines. I think it's mentally, to keep myself calm and enjoy the sport, enjoy each and every bit of it," Rohit, who has the second-most sixes in the T20I showdown, added.
"I think it's important that you try and be in the moment, enjoy that present moment, and leave the rest up to the Almighty. Because I think it's important that you keep doing what you're supposed to do and be sincere in your work ethics, be true to the sport. And I think if I can do all of that, that's perfect,” concluded Rohit, who plays for Mumbai in the domestic circuit.
Rohit is the only and one of the two cricketers to feature in all nine editions of the T20 World Cup along with the world number two ranked all-rounder Bangladesh's veteran Shakib Al Hasan. Notably, Rohit Sharma (151) is the only player to feature in 150+ T20I matches.