'No intent to hurt or show off': Rohit Sharma clarifies outburst against Kuldeep Yadav during Champions Trophy

Rohit Sharma clarifies outburst against Kuldeep Yadav during Champions Trophy (Reuters Photo)

In defense of his outburst against Kuldeep Yadav during the ICC Men's Champions Trophy semi-final match against Australia, Indian captain Rohit Sharma stated that his actions were not intended to cause harm to anyone. Rohit, 37, has frequently been spotted reprimanding his players for being careless on the pitch and failing to take necessary action. Even in the semi-final match against Australia, Kuldeep let the ball go without trying to catch it, which infuriated Rohit and Virat Kohli.

Then, when Kuldeep failed to run back behind the stumps to collect the throw in the final match against New Zealand, Virat and Ravindra Jadeja took aim at him. Consequently, India lost the opportunity to run out Michael Bracewell.

Rohit Sharma gave an explanation of why players exhibit their emotions on the field in an interview with JioHotstar following the Champions Trophy victory. Additionally, he talked about occasionally getting a bit "carried away" and claimed that it's all part of the "spirit of the game".

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"We have an incredibly solid team, and it’s a joy to play alongside such committed individuals. Everyone knows their role and responsibilities. Of course, emotions run high on the field. Sometimes, I get a bit carried away, but it’s all in the spirit of the game," Rohit said. "The words exchanged on the ground aren’t meant to hurt anyone or show off—they are just an expression of our passion. At the end of the day, our main goal is to win, and we are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve that," he added.

With crucial wickets of Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson, Kuldeep Yadav was the highlight of the match against New Zealand.

Rohit scored 76 to help India chase down 252 in the ICC Men's Champions Trophy final against New Zealand. Rohit didn't perform well in the group stage or the semi-final, but the veteran pro came through when it counted most.

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Given that Rohit didn't win a single toss in the eight-team tournament, India's unblemished record during the competition is all the more impressive.

"We went undefeated despite losing all five tosses. Yet, we still won the trophy. Across the five matches we played, we didn’t lose a single one. Winning a tournament without a single defeat is a massive achievement in itself, and it gives me immense satisfaction," said Rohit. "To be honest, until we won the trophy, no one really thought about it. But after the victory, it hit us—we had gone through the entire tournament undefeated. That realisation made it even more special. It’s difficult to put into words how that feels right now," he added.

Rohit has stated unequivocally that he has no intention of retiring from the ODI format. He is silent, though, when it comes to playing in the 2027 World Cup.