Rohit Sharma displayed trademark calm and class, both on and off the field, after being announced as the brand ambassador for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Months after retiring from T20Is and Test cricket, the 38-year-old admitted he is slowly adjusting to watching cricket from home rather than being in the thick of action.
Although still active in the ODI format, Rohit acknowledged the rare honour of being named an ICC event ambassador while still playing international cricket.
“I was told that no active player has been made an ambassador before, so it’s a huge privilege for me,” Rohit said during the unveiling of the tournament schedule. The showpiece event will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8 next year.
Rohit, who led India to the T20 World Cup title in 2024, is hopeful the Suryakumar Yadav-led squad can replicate that success on home soil.
“Hopefully this team can recreate the magic we created last year, with a different group of players. Winning an ICC event is always tough, and I’ve been fortunate to win two recently. It feels great,” he said.
Rohit admitted that stepping away from two formats has been an emotional adjustment but added that spending time with family, training, and attending events is helping him ease into this phase.
“Having played every T20 World Cup till now, watching from the outside will definitely feel different,” he said.
Rohit Sharma's praise for India Women’s Team
Rohit also lauded the Indian women’s team for their historic World Cup victory, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur present at the event.
“I know the setbacks they’ve faced over the years. Winning that trophy must feel incredible. I wasn’t there physically, but I could feel what the team went through, especially after the England game,” Rohit said, recalling a conversation with coach Amol Muzumdar.
He said watching the team lift the trophy was a proud moment for him and for the entire country.
Rohit Sharma on India’s group in the 2026 T20 World Cup
Speaking about India’s Group A, which features Pakistan, USA, Netherlands and Namibia, Rohit emphasised the need for full focus from the very first ball.
“You can’t take any team lightly. All of them come well-prepared. It’s also great to see teams like Italy making it to the tournament. Hopefully, we’ll see more teams from Europe, Africa and South East Asia as the sport grows,” he added.
