When Rohit Sharma Refused to Play Without the Captaincy, and Responded with 98 off 32 in the Final | Exclusive

Rohit Sharma’s potential swansong on a Sunday evening, which may be dominated by the FIFA World Cup final, feels too good to be true.

Especially after the assurances from BCCI, it looks increasingly possible that the Sunday encounter against England at Lord’s may not be the end of Hitman in India colours.

But if it happens, it will be the conclusion of a career fueled by sheer talent and extreme hard work. Rohit burst into the scene for India in the 2007 T20 World Cup, but his journey in the initial years wasn’t smooth. After a series of misses and drops, Rohit’s Remontada kicked off around 2012, and afterwards, he never looked back.

Over the years, Rohit has transformed his skills, honing different roles. And the Indian veteran has led the team to two ICC titles, winning the T20 World Cup in 2024 and then the Champions Trophy in 2025. Along the folklore of Indian cricket, Rohit’s name is already written in glitter, but what was the driving force behind it?

A typical Mumbaikar, Rohit’s funky character is loved by everyone. But growing up, the India player was not always an all-smiling chap. From the lanes of Borivali, Rohit’s journey has been the tale of grit, determination and class. Dinesh Lad, his childhood coach, has played a big part in it. But another mentor who took care of Rohit for a brief period is Raju Pathak.

Rohit Sharma and the Rizvi College Tale

Pathak, a well-known figure in Mumbai cricket, has shaped the journey of many players. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prithi Shaw have played under him. And Rohit met the veteran coach at his Rizvi College days. On Saturday, MyKhel caught up with Mr. Pathak for an exclusive chat, and the coach was adamant that Rohit’s career is not over.

“Thoda Moody Banda Hain,” Pathak told this website while reminiscing about his days with the ex-India captain. And along the way, he shared a special story, which has been the blueprint of Rohit’s journey.

Rohit, during his college days, only agreed to play in a tournament if he was made captain. And after being made captain, Rohit went on and played a few amazing knocks for Rizvi College, including a 32-ball 98 in the final.

“In the Junior College tournament, Rohit was not coming to play. I used to stay in Bandra and Rohit was from Borivali. So, once I paid some money to one of his friends Murtaza Hossain (ex-Mumbai Ranji Player) and told him to bring Rohit. He came in and became adamant that he would only play if he were made captain. I decided to go with his demand, and he won us matches.”

Against a strong Podar College, in the final, Rohit demanded to open the batting and smashed 98 runs off just 32 balls at the Oval Ground. He then led the team with the ball as well and picked up wickets.

“The Final was against Podar College, and they were a strong team. We took a first-innings lead of around 180 runs. Rohit then wanted to open the batting in the second innings; he was so stubborn. I allowed him to open and he smashed 98 off 32 balls. He also picked up 5 wickets, and we won. This was his last college match,” Pathak said.

The stubbornness to not give up has been the pulse in the last few years for Rohit. After the 2023 World Cup heartbreak, the star batter rallied back to win two ICC titles as India captain. As the final phase of his career shapes up, certainly, Rohit won’t leave the 22 yards without a strong fight.