I feel really bad for Rohit in particular – Mitchell McClenaghan on Team India’s 2023 World Cup final loss to Australia

New Zealand fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan said he felt really bad for Rohit Sharma after India’s World Cup 2023 final loss against Australia. Rohit was at his absolute best in the ODI showpiece and scored a quickfire knock of 31-ball 47 in the all-important final against the Aussies.

However, the tables turned in Australia’s favor after Rohit Sharma was dismissed by Glenn Maxwell with Travis Head taking a fine catch. Rohit scored 597 runs in 11 matches of the World Cup 2023 at an average of 54.27 and a blistering strike rate of 125.95. The talisman scored three fifties and one century in the ODI showpiece.

The Indian captain adopted an aggressive approach and played a key role in giving solid starts at the top of the order along with Shubman Gill.

Mitchell McClenaghan said on the sidelines of Legends League Cricket, “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.”

Meanwhile, the New Zealand fast bowler observed Rohit Sharma from close quarters while playing with him for the Mumbai Indians from 2015 to 2019. The left-arm pacer was part of the franchise and played a key role in winning three titles during his stint. McClenaghan said he wants to reunite with the franchise ahead of the upcoming season.

“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,” McClenaghan said.

“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,” he added.

Mumbai Indians Retained Players

Rohit Sharma (c), Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd (from LSG), Hardik Pandya (from GT).

Mumbai Indians Released Players

Mohd. Arshad Khan, Ramandeep Singh, Hrithik Shokeen, Raghav Goyal, Jofra Archer, Tristan Stubbs, Duan Jansen, Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith, Chris Jordan, Sandeep Warrier.