The skipper of the world champion Indian cricket team, Rohit Sharma, recently found himself in a funny situation at a promotional event in Dallas, USA, when fans started chanting Australian pacer Mitchell Starc’s name. He handled it with amusement, keeping the atmosphere calm and witty all the way, which set the veteran player at the top of trends on social media.
The chants harked back to a very memorable moment from the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024, where Sharma had dominated Starc, smacking 29 runs off a single over in a thrilling Super Eight contest. Those 29 runs scored in the over had helped India to set a commanding total against Australia at the Daren Sammy International Cricket Stadium in Saint Lucia.
Fans at the venue teased him by starting a “Mitchell Starc” chant in a funny manner when the 37-year-old pacer arrived with his family for the launch of a cricket academy in Dallas. The host of the ceremony quickly leapt in to save the Indian cricketer from the hostile crowd, urging the fans to show respect to their guest.
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At this juncture, Rohit Sharma, without losing his cool, simply stated, “Calm down, guys.” This response enlivened the crowd with wild cheers as the room was put back at ease with a bout of humour.
Fans shouted : Mitch Starc, Mitch Starc.
Rohit Sharma said : Calm down guys.💀 pic.twitter.com/ga3VFARhSv— 𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐧 (@IamHydro45_) July 14, 2024
This comes days after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20 International cricket after India secured victory in this 20-team tournament. In taking leave from the shortest format, Sharma continues to be a key cog for India in ODIs and Tests. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah confirmed that the veteran would lead India in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 and the World Test Championship 2025 final.
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Rohit has finished as India’s most successful run-a-getter in T20 science, having scored 4,231 runs in the format from 159 innings; he shared the joint record of most centuries in the format, which is five. Meanwhile, the Men in Blue next face Sri Lanka in three T20Is and as many ODIs. The first game of the series is scheduled for July 27, and is followed by matches on July 28 and July 30. With Gautam Gambhir stepping in as the new Head Coach, it will be interesting to see how the team performs under fresh leadership.
