'I will ask Rohit for my Next Gift as 2027 World Cup': Rohit Sharma coach Dinesh Lad after Champions Trophy Win | Exclusive

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Rohit Sharma's childhood coach and mentor, Dinesh Lad, will ask for his final gift to the India captain after the Champions Trophy triumph.

Dinesh Lad, who has been a pivotal part of Rohit's journey, said recently that he received his second gift as the Champions Trophy.

After the 2023 World Cup heartbreak, Rohit had talked to Lad and promised him to win the T20 World Cup in 2024 as a gift, which he delivered. The veteran said recently that the Champions Trophy win would be his second gift, and he duly received that.

In an exclusive chat with MyKhel, Lad confirms he will ask for his third and probably the final gift, which will be the 50-over World Cup in 2027.

"I will ask him[Rohit Sharma] for my final gift, which is the 2027 World Cup. He will play the World Cup, and then only he will retire."

He also hailed the India captain for winning multiple ICC titles, who became only the second Indian captain to achieve the feat, following MS Dhoni. The coach further takes a dig at some of the recent critics who mentioned him as 'unfit' to be India captain.

"People do criticism as they have to do. They keep on saying he has to leave, he is unfit for captaincy. This is not fair," he adds.

Rohit Sharma has also left his imprint with the bat after becoming the captain. His aggressive batting style has set the tone for India many times. Although the 37-year-old had a lean patch recently, his bat did the talking in the final against New Zealand, where he scored 76 crucial runs. And his coach believes Rohit's approach will remain the same till he retires.

"Rohit will bat in this aggressive style till the final day. He only plays to win. He had this mentality from the beginning, and that won't change," Lad continues.

The India captain returned to Mumbai on Monday evening and will have a few days off before joining Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2025.