"I am close to 500 games...": Rohit Sharma opens up on longevity, fitness

New Delhi [India], September 29 : Indian skipper Rohit Sharma opened up on his longevity in the game and retirement from T20I format following his team's memorable ICC T20 World Cup win.
On Saturday, the 'Hitman' was speaking on Jitendra Chouksey's Youtube channel. Speaking on the channel, Rohit said that he is close to playing 500 matches for India in international cricket and it is something that not a lot of players have accomplished. and to have such longevity, how one has fitness routine in life plays a key role.
"To play for 17 years and to play nearly. I am close to 500 games now for India internationally," Rohit said. "Five hundred games, not a lot of cricketers globally have played. To have that longevity, there has to be something about your routine. How you manage your fitness, how you manage your mind, and how you train yourself. And how do you get ready for the game, most importantly. At the end of the day, our job is to be 100 percent ready for the game and perform to win games. And then, if you go backwards then, in that preparation comes fitness," Rohit said.
Rohit revealed that he retired from T20Is following the T20 WC title win in June because he just felt it was the right time to do so, as he had a trophy in his hands and younger players were also coming up for India.
"The only reason I retired from T20Is is because I've had my time. I enjoyed playing the format. I played for 17 years and did well. Having won the World Cup, this was the best time for me to decide that this now time for me to move on and then look after the other things. There are lot of good players who are there, who can do well for India. I just felt it was the right time," said Rohit.
Rohit retired as a double T20 World Cup champion, winning the title back in 2007 as a young up-and-coming prodigy. In 151 T20I matches, Rohit has scored 4,231 runs at an average of 32.05 with a strike rate of over 140. He scored five centuries and 32 fifties in his career, with the best score of 121*. Rohit is also the leading run-scorer in the format.
Rohit also ended the tournament with a career-best performance with the bat, with 257 runs in eight games at an average of 36.71 and a strike rate of over 156. His best score was 92 and scored three half-centuries in the competition to become the second-highest run-getter.
Reflecting on his cricketing journey, Rohit said that he started playing with kids in his society as a nine-year-old and eventually started playing it in school.
"We played in our building, in the society. There is a shortage of space in Bombay. You just have to manage with whatever you have. I started playing with all my friends, school friends at times. Building friends are with who I played for fun. I never knew it would become like this. When I was nine years old, I started. 28-29 years have gone by with me playing cricket," he added.
The skipper admitted that the demands of the game were such that it took over his studies at times. He reflected on his struggles, mental and physical tiredness, and long travelling hours and how they all helped him become the star he is today.
"The sport has got so many demands, be it travelling, learning the skills, fitness, training. In Mumbai, if you want to be a cricketer, you want to travel--2 hours of travelling by train, 5 to 6 hours of playing, then travelling back--you do not know whether you will get a seat. It did take a toll on me physically and mentally. But I enjoyed that, and that hard-yards made me tough--that is what made me today and help to make tough decisions these days," said the Indian skipper.
Rohit said that as a cricketer for him, the fitness is not about his looks physically, but what he can offer to his team on the field.
"Can you give your best for team in 5 days in Test Match with full intensity & in ODIs can you give your best for 100 overs & same in T20Is," he added.
The Indian skipper is currently in action during the ongoing two-match Test series against Bangladesh. India is leading the series 1-0. The second Test is taking place in Kanpur's Green Park Stadium.