Rohit Sharma admits he is not sure of returning to Australia
Sydney (PTI): Rohit Sharma has always cherished playing in Australia and after a challenging ODI series against the old rivals, the former captain on Saturday admitted that there might not be another trip for him and Virat Kohli to their cricketing heartland.
Both Rohit and Kohli now play only one format after retiring from Tests and T20Is, and their careers have become a matter of intense speculation of late.
On Saturday, the two legendary batters joined forces yet again to save India from a series whitewash with their unconquered 168-run partnership, leading the side to a consolatory nine-wicket win in the third ODI here.
"Always love coming here and playing here. Fond memories of 2008. I’m not sure if we’ll be coming back to Australia, but we enjoy our cricket no matter what accolades we achieve," Rohit said after being named Player of the Match and Player of the Series.
Rohit hit a magnificent 121 while Kohli produced a 74-run knock in India's victory.
"We started afresh in Perth — that's how I look at things," he added, acknowledging the challenges of touring Australia.
Rohit also stressed the importance of experience and mentorship at this stage of their careers.
"You expect tough pitches and quality bowlers in Australia. Playing here is never easy. We couldn't win the series, but there are plenty of positives. It’s a young side, and there will be a lot of learnings.
"When I came into the squad, seniors helped us a lot; now it’s our job to do the same. We need to guide them, create game plans, and go back to basics, which I still do every time I play here,” he said.
For Rohit, the connection goes beyond results.
“I’ve had great memories here — from the SCG to Perth. I love playing here and hope to continue doing what I do,” he said, highlighting his enduring love for Australian cricket and its passionate crowds.
Kohli echoed the sentiment.
"You might have played international cricket for a long time, but the game teaches you something at every stage. Situations in the middle bring out the best in me. From early on, we've understood the situation well, that's what we've always done well (as a pair). We're probably the most experienced pair now, but back in the day when we were young - we knew we could take the game away from them with big partnerships."
"It all started in 2013 (the home series against Australia), if we put up a big partnership, we know we'll go a long way in helping the team win,” Kohli said.
He also thanked the fans for their unwavering support.
"We've loved coming to this country, we've played some good cricket, thank you guys for coming in big numbers and supporting us,” he added.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
