The Rise of the Hitman
From his Under-17 days, Rohit Sharma was earmarked as one for the future. Blessed with loads of natural ability and inherently attractive, he made batting look very easy. Fusing the Mumbai school of batsmanship with organic flair, he broke into the Indian team when only 20 and immediately impressed during the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007 and in the triangular series in Australia in 2008. There were disappointments, too, along the way. On the morning of his Test debut, he sustained an ankle injury in February 2010 and had to wait until November 2013 to earn his Test cap. He was also left out of the Indian squad that triumphed in the 50-over World Cup at home in 2011. Despite starting his Test career with centuries in his first two matches, Rohit struggled for consistency and a settled slot in the middle order. He resurrected his limited-overs career on being asked to open in January 2013 and did likewise in Tests when he became a red-ball opener in October 2019. In early 2022, he was named India’s all-format captain, succeeding Virat Kohli. He was instrumental in India reaching the final of the 50-over World Cup at home in November 2023, ending a prolonged barren run by winning the T20 World Cup in June 2024 and bringing home the Champions Trophy in March 2025. This book traces Rohit’s roller-coaster journey from his early days in Borivali to ultimate glory in Bridgetown—through the eyes of his contemporaries, his friends and his coaches, all unanimous in their view that Rohit has remained unchanged through the various ups and downs of a career most fulfilling.
