India’s captain Rohit Sharma credited his stellar performance in the recently concluded ODI series against Australia to a renewed focus on self-preparation and personal balance, emphasising that there is “much more to life” than just professional achievements.

Rohit’s unbeaten 121-run knock in Sydney guided India to a nine-wicket victory in the final ODI, helping the visitors avoid a whitewash as the hosts took the series 2-1.

Speaking to the BCCI website after the match, Rohit revealed that his preparation for the series was different this time, driven by a desire to reconnect with himself. “Since the time I started playing, I never had four to five months to prepare for a series, so I wanted to utilise that. I wanted to do things in my own way, on my own terms, and that actually worked out well for me, understanding what I need to do for the rest of my career,” he said.

The Indian skipper added that spending extended time away from the constant grind of professional cricket gave him a fresh perspective. “You need to understand there is so much to do in life besides what you do professionally. That realisation helped me enjoy my game more and stay relaxed under pressure,” he added.

Rohit’s return to form comes at a crucial time for Team India, as they prepare for a busy cricketing calendar ahead, including home and overseas assignments in multiple formats.