Former New Zealand Cricketer Mitchell McClenaghan believes that Indian captain Rohit Sharma deserved to win the World Cup due to his extensive preparation for major tournaments. Despite playing his heart out throughout the tournament, the Men in Blue fell short in the high-octane match against Australia at Ahmedabad.
Throughout the tournament, Rohit Sharma stood out as a selfless and exceptionally skilled leader for India in the mega event. The defeat was a bittersweet moment for the Indian players, particularly stalwarts like Kohli, Rohit, and Siraj, who shed tears as they realized the amount of time and effort they had put into the competition. Despite winning all ten matches leading up to the final, they were unable to clinch the championship.
In response to a question from the Hindustan Times on the sidelines of the ongoing 2023 Legends League Cricket, Mitchell McClenaghan, who played with him in the Mumbai Indians for a brief period, said that he felt bad to see Rohit Sharma not winning the championship despite putting his full efforts to turn things around in the Indian cricket for a last couple of years.
“I feel really bad for Rohit in particular because I know how much preparation he puts into tournaments, and I know this would have been a big trophy for him to tick off. So from that point of view, I do place my heart, I feel, for how he didn’t get the result that he would have wanted and what he probably deserved with how he has turned Indian cricket around in the last couple of years,” Mitchell McClenaghan said.
During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Rohit Sharma showcased India’s determination to play aggressive cricket by stepping out of his comfort zone. As the Indian captain, he set the stage for the middle-order batsmen to take control of the game and put pressure on the opposing bowling attack early on, allowing the rest of the team to flourish.
Mumbai Indians Would Be A Goal Of Mine To Reunite With That Franchise – Mitchell McClenaghan
When asked about his association with the Mumbai Indians, Mitchell McClenaghan stated that he is often recognized for his time playing with the franchise. He also mentioned that he is currently undergoing a coaching course and may consider future opportunities to reunite with the Mumbai Indians.
“It’s one of the common things get on Twitter, people asking when I’m coming back, but currently I am going through my coaching courses, trying to learn more about that side of the game because it’s a sport that I enjoy, and a sport that I would like to be involved in going forward. So whether that goes locally back home or globally within the T20 circuit, and who knows? I mean, MI would be a goal of mine to reunite with that franchise, for sure,” Mitchell McCelnaghan added.
Mitchell McClenaghan was signed by Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2015 season and played a key role in three Mumbai Indians titles during his six-year run in the IPL. He took 71 wickets in 56 games before being released by them at the end of the 2020 season.