Rohit Sharma, the hit man is an institution by himself

PadmaShri for Rohit Sharma—about time the world said it loud. Most of us are very happy for this Hit Man. The reason is for years his talent was sandwiched between Dhoni’s calm and Kohli’s fire. Everyone talked about the chase master and the captain cool, while Rohit just quietly went about timing the ball I should say like poetry. All those runs he made, those sixes that landed in the spectators stand -- is not luck. That is years of hard work, patience and belief.

Rohit Sharma’s name echoed through the halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan. As he walked up to the podium to receive the Padma Shri, the entire hall erupted—applause, cheers, a standing ovation. That’s the aura of the “hit man”. Quiet grace, deafening respect.

‘I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket’, Sharma wrote on social media on May 7, 2025. He retired from T 20 I cricket after the 2024 T20 World Cup. He will continue to represent India in the ODI format. Indian cricket has been fortunate to have a figure like Rohit—someone who upheld the highest standards of professionalism and sportsmanship. His ability to stay composed under pressure and consistently put the team’s needs above his own made him a truly special player and leader.

For Sharma, a former captain of Team India, the journey was not easy. The unpleasant memory of losing to Australia in 2023 must have been haunting him and other players like a veiled ghost. The whole country was in tears and went silent at 9 pm.

And then one evening in Ahmedabad came the horror. One catch, one pitch, one night that did not go his way. Watching him stand there, shoulders back, still clapping for his team.

Time heals, but it doesn’t erase. It just teaches us to carry the ache with pride instead of pain. But ‘The Mumbai ka Raja’’ made an incredible comeback, handling pressure and making a right, calculative move and made everyone proud. He is a big man for a big moment.

Sharma is an institution by himself. He has been integral to the team’s prospects. He is a master class batsman, a legend. The moment he steps on to the field along with Kohli to open the innings, the fans are sure that a shocker awaits the opponents. There were great cricketers and players earlier and many will be there in the future but there will be no other ‘hit man’ like Sharma adorned in jersey number 45. His is a redemption story from the ODIs of 2023 to T-20s of 2024. He was frustrated and angry at himself after coming so close and unable to cross the line and lost the ODI on November 19, 2023. The amount of agony and pressure he handled was unimaginable. It was not easy to move on. He proved the pundits wrong with a masterly act against the mighty Australians on March 3, 2025.

Even under pressure, he could destroy the opposition. He is the only cricketer to score three double centuries in ODIs.

Rohit Sharma’s innings can be classified into two: Before and after a century. His pace attack and the rate at which he scores runs at the death is what makes his innings different from others. He is both a robot and an artist. He is the most successful captain for India and holds the highest win percentage as captain.

Fast reflexes and good hand-eye coordination and shot selection and self-control are his skills. He secured a permanent spot in the hearts of every Indian. I believe that the Padma Shri is not for his runs but for making millions of kids pick up a bat and believe elegance can win too. You will always notice the quiet legends—never loud, but always present.