"Why would he retire?" - RCB legend throws weight behind Rohit Sharma after India's 2025 Champions Trophy win

Former RCB and South African great AB de Villiers has backed India skipper Rohit Sharma to not retire from ODIs. Rohit led India to victory at the 2025 Champions Trophy as they outplayed New Zealand in the final.

There has been constant chatter regarding Rohit Sharma's future after India's Champions Trophy win. While the skipper himself announced that he wouldn't retire from the format, discussions are on nonetheless.

In this scenario, AB de Villiers has come to Rohit's support, backing his call to continue playing ODI cricket. The South African great suggested that there is no reason for Rohit to call it quits given his record as captain.

"Compared to other captains, look at Rohit's win percentage, it's almost 74%, which is substantially more than any other captain of the past. If he keeps going, he will go down as one of the best ODI captains of all time. Rohit has also said he is not retiring and has requested that rumours be stopped spreading," he said on his YouTube channel (via Hindustan Times).

Rohit Sharma became only the second Indian captain after MS Dhoni to win multiple ICC tournaments, having won the T20 World Cup in 2024. AB de Villiers also praised him for his knock in the final, where he scored a match-winning 76 off 83 balls.

"Why would he retire? With that kind of record not only captain but also as a batter. That 76 in the final off 83 balls, giving India a fantastic start, laying the foundation for success and leading from the front when the pressure was at its peak," he added.

India chased down 252 for victory and Rohit led from the front with his quickfire knock. He forged a 105-run opening stand with Shubman Gill, setting the tone for the chase.

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AB de Villiers believes Rohit Sharma has transformed his batting

AB de Villiers also spoke about how Rohit Sharma has transformed his batting in the last two years, which is another reason why he should not retire just yet.

"Rohit Sharma has got no reason to retire. No reason to take any criticism whatsoever. His record speaks for himself. Not only that, but he has also sort of transformed his game. If we have a look at his strike rate in the powerplay it was quite low for an opening batter in the powerplay but since 2022 his strike rate has rose to 115 in the first powerplay and that's the difference between good and great," he reckoned.

He concluded by saying that despite going through poor form in the Test series against Australia, Rohit has done well in ODIs and in the recent Champions Trophy, performing when it mattered the most.

"As an Indian fan, you've got to be proud of him. It has not always been plain sailing for him. His form in different formats has been up and down but when it comes to the big moments, the big matches, he leads from the front."

While it is more or less clear that Rohit will continue in ODIs, it remains to be seen where his Test future lies. India are set to tour England for a five-Test series in June this year.