Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has confirmed that he has no intention of retiring from one-day internationals (ODIs) following India’s Champions Trophy final win over New Zealand in Dubai.

The Indian captain played a vital role in the final, scoring a brisk 76 runs, and addressed speculation about his future in the format by stating, “I’m not retiring from this format… make sure no rumours are spread.”

This victory marked India’s third Champions Trophy title, ending a long wait for an ICC trophy.

While reflecting on India’s strategy in the 50-over tournament, Sharma credited the team’s successful use of spinners, saying, “When I learned about playing the tournament in Dubai, we selected four spinners because the wickets had seen a lot of cricket, and spinners could become match-winners.”

India remained unbeaten throughout the eight-team tournament, which was held across Pakistan and the UAE, with all matches played in Dubai due to political tensions. With this latest title, India surpassed Australia’s two Champions Trophy victories, adding to their wins in 2002 and 2013.

In the final, Sharma acknowledged the challenge of losing early wickets but praised his team’s ability to stabilize under pressure.

Kohli praises team

Virat Kohli, who played a crucial role in India’s undefeated campaign, commended the team’s resilience and highlighted the contributions of younger players. “It’s been amazing. We wanted to bounce back after a tough Australia tour. Lovely playing with a bunch of amazing youngsters,” Kohli remarked.

Finishing the tournament with 218 runs in five innings, including a key performance against Pakistan in the group stage, Kohli emphasised the significance of collective effort in high-pressure tournaments. “To win titles, the whole team has to step up in different games.

People have played impactful knocks and had crucial spells. That collective effort is what has done it for us,“ he stated.

As one of the team’s most experienced players, Kohli reflected on his leadership role in guiding the next generation. “I try to speak to these guys, share my experience, and tell them how I’ve played for so long. When you leave, you want to leave the team in a better position.

So many impactful knocks from Gill, Shreyas, Rahul, and others have made a difference,“ he added.