Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian cricket team, had a really sad loss in the World Cup final against Australia. This means that India will have to wait even longer to win the trophy again, since they last won it in 2011. Even though Rohit still has a chance to play in the next World Cup, losing at home will be really hard for him. It’s important to know that Rohit wasn’t on the team when India won in 2011, and he’s said that he was really disappointed about not being included back then.

But let’s not just focus on the final. Throughout the tournament, Rohit Sharma showed that he can play really well and put the team first. As the opener, he always gave India a strong start, even in the final where they got off to a fast start. Some people criticized Rohit for getting out to a bad shot in the final, but he had already set a good foundation for the other players. Unfortunately, the rest of the batters struggled against Australia’s bowlers.

In the group stages, Rohit played a big part in India’s win against their rivals, Pakistan. He scored 86 runs really quickly, which basically ended Pakistan’s chances of winning. Throughout the tournament, Rohit always scored more than 40 runs and set the stage for his teammates to score even more. His role as a batter also helped him make smart decisions as a captain, and his teammates and coaches really respected him.

Rohit showed great leadership and made really smart decisions with the bowlers and fielders. He knew his players well and made changes to the bowling when he needed to. For example, when Pakistan was scoring really fast, he brought Mohammed Siraj back into the game, and he broke an important partnership. Rohit also supported his players when things got tough, and he agreed with the coach’s strategy of focusing on the process instead of just the results.

Even though Rohit lost in the final, it doesn’t take away from all the great things he did as a captain and player. He was the real hero of the tournament and still has a chance to be on India’s World Cup team in the future. Rohit will definitely come back stronger, because he’s always shown that he’s tough and determined. But for now, he’ll have to deal with the fact that the World Cup trophy is still out of reach.

Original news source: Rohit Sharma: The Indian captain who lost cricket World Cup but won hearts (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and summarize the main points in their own words. They will then share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In small groups, students will discuss and share their opinions on Rohit Sharma’s performance as a captain and player in the World Cup. They will take turns presenting their opinions and supporting their arguments with evidence from the article.

– Sketch It
Instructions: In pairs, students will choose a key moment or scene from the article and sketch it on a piece of paper. They will then take turns explaining their sketches to their partner, using English to describe the details and context.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: In small groups, students will take turns choosing a vocabulary word from the article and drawing it on a whiteboard or piece of paper. Their group members will then try to guess the word based on the drawing. The student who guesses correctly will explain the meaning of the word in English.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: In pairs, students will discuss the pros and cons of being a captain in a sports team, using Rohit Sharma as an example. They will take turns sharing their ideas and supporting them with examples and reasoning.

Comprehension Questions:

1. When did India last win the World Cup?
2. How did Rohit Sharma feel about not being included in the team when India won the World Cup in 2011?
3. What role did Rohit Sharma play as the opener in the final match?
4. Why did some people criticize Rohit Sharma for getting out in the final match?
5. How did Rohit Sharma contribute to India’s win against Pakistan?
6. How did Rohit Sharma show leadership during the tournament?
7. What strategy did Rohit Sharma and the coach agree on?
8. How does the article describe Rohit Sharma’s future prospects in the World Cup?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Rohit Sharma, the captain of the (1)______n cricket team, had a really sad loss in the (2)______ Cup (3)______ against Australia. This means that India will have to wait even longer to win the trophy again, since they last won it in 2011. Even though Rohit still has a chance to play in the next World Cup, losing at home will be really hard for him. It’s important to know that Rohit wasn’t on the team when India won in 2011, and he’s said that he was really disappointed about not being included back then.

But let’s not just focus on the final. Throughout the (4)______, Rohit Sharma showed that he can play really well and put the team first. As the opener, he always gave India a (5)______ start, even in the final where they got off to a fast start. Some people criticized Rohit for getting out to a bad shot in the final, but he had already set a good foundation for the other (6)______. Unfortunately, the rest of the batters struggled against Australia’s bowlers.

In the (7)______ stages, Rohit played a big part in India’s win against their (8)______, Pakistan. He scored 86 runs really quickly, which basically ended Pakistan’s chances of winning. Throughout the tournament, Rohit always scored more than 40 runs and set the (9)______ for his (10)______ to score even more. His role as a batter also helped him make smart decisions as a (11)______, and his teammates and coaches really respected him.

Rohit showed great leadership and made really smart decisions with the bowlers and fielders. He knew his players well and made changes to the bowling when he needed to. For example, when Pakistan was scoring really fast, he (12)______ Mohammed Siraj back into the game, and he broke an important partnership. Rohit also supported his (13)______s when things got tough, and he agreed with the coach’s strategy of focusing on the (14)______ instead of just the results.

Even though Rohit lost in the final, it doesn’t take away from all the great things he did as a captain and player. He was the real hero of the tournament and still has a chance to be on India’s World Cup team in the future. Rohit will definitely come back (15)______, because he’s always shown that he’s tough and (16)______. But for now, he’ll have to deal with the fact that the World Cup trophy is still out of reach.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is the World Cup in cricket?
2. How do you think Rohit Sharma felt after losing in the World Cup final?
3. Do you think it’s harder to lose in a big game when you’re playing at home? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you were left out of a winning team in the past?
5. Do you like playing cricket? Why or why not?
6. How important do you think it is for a team to have a strong start in a game?
7. Do you think it’s fair to criticize Rohit Sharma for getting out to a bad shot in the final? Why or why not?
8. How do you think Rohit Sharma’s teammates felt about him as a captain?
9. What qualities do you think make a good leader in sports?
10. How important is it for a captain to make smart decisions with the bowlers and fielders?
11. Do you agree with the coach’s strategy of focusing on the process instead of just the results? Why or why not?
12. How do you think Rohit Sharma will come back stronger in the future?
13. How would you feel if you were in Rohit Sharma’s position?
14. Do you think it’s important for athletes to have determination and toughness? Why or why not?
15. How do you think Rohit Sharma will handle the fact that the World Cup trophy is still out of reach?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. captain
2. loss
3. trophy
4. disappointed
5. opener
6. foundation
7. leadership
8. determined

Meanings:
(a) The opposite of winning
(b) The person in charge of a team
(c) The base or starting point
(d) Feeling sad and let down
(e) Having a strong desire to achieve something
(f) The prize for winning a competition
(g) The first player to bat in a cricket match
(h) The ability to guide and inspire others
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who is the captain of the Indian cricket team?
(a) Virat Kohli
(b) MS Dhoni
(c) Rohit Sharma
(d) Sachin Tendulkar

2. When did India last win the World Cup?
(a) 2015
(b) 2011
(c) 2007
(d) 2003

3. Which team did India defeat in the group stages?
(a) Australia
(b) Pakistan
(c) England
(d) South Africa

4. What position does Rohit Sharma play in the team?
(a) Bowler
(b) Wicketkeeper
(c) All-rounder
(d) Opener

5. How many runs did Rohit Sharma score against Pakistan?
(a) 86
(b) 40
(c) 50
(d) 100

6. What did Rohit Sharma’s role as a batter help him do as a captain?
(a) Make smart decisions
(b) Score more runs
(c) Field better
(d) Bowl better

7. Who did Rohit Sharma bring back into the game when Pakistan was scoring fast?
(a) Virat Kohli
(b) MS Dhoni
(c) Sachin Tendulkar
(d) Mohammed Siraj

8. How did Rohit Sharma handle the loss in the final?
(a) He blamed his teammates
(b) He quit the team
(c) He remained tough and determined
(d) He celebrated the other team’s victory

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. India will have to wait longer to win the World Cup again after their loss in the final.
2. Rohit Sharma was disappointed about not being included in the team that won the World Cup in 2011.
3. Rohit Sharma was not part of the Indian team when they last won the World Cup in 2011.
4. Rohit Sharma did not captain the Indian cricket team in the World Cup final against Australia.
5. Rohit Sharma did not play a crucial role in India’s victory against Pakistan, scoring 86 runs quickly.
6. Rohit Sharma did not show great leadership as captain and made poor decisions with the bowlers and fielders.
7. Rohit Sharma inconsistently performed well throughout the tournament and put himself first.
8. Rohit Sharma’s strong starts as an opener helped set a good foundation for the team.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What was the outcome of the World Cup final for the Indian cricket team?
2. Why was losing the final particularly difficult for Rohit Sharma?
3. How did Rohit Sharma contribute to the team’s performance throughout the tournament?
4. What role did Rohit Sharma play in India’s victory over Pakistan?
5. What qualities did Rohit Sharma demonstrate as a captain and player during the tournament?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. When did India last win the World Cup?
India last won the World Cup in 2011.

2. How did Rohit Sharma feel about not being included in the team when India won the World Cup in 2011?
Rohit Sharma was really disappointed about not being included in the team when India won the World Cup in 2011.

3. What role did Rohit Sharma play as the opener in the final match?
As the opener, Rohit Sharma gave India a strong start in the final match.

4. Why did some people criticize Rohit Sharma for getting out in the final match?
Some people criticized Rohit Sharma for getting out in the final match because they thought it was a bad shot.

5. How did Rohit Sharma contribute to India’s win against Pakistan?
Rohit Sharma scored 86 runs quickly in India’s win against Pakistan, which basically ended Pakistan’s chances of winning.

6. How did Rohit Sharma show leadership during the tournament?
Rohit Sharma showed leadership by making smart decisions with the bowlers and fielders, and by supporting his players when things got tough.

7. What strategy did Rohit Sharma and the coach agree on?
Rohit Sharma and the coach agreed on focusing on the process instead of just the results.

8. How does the article describe Rohit Sharma’s future prospects in the World Cup?
The article describes Rohit Sharma’s future prospects in the World Cup as still having a chance to be on India’s team in the future and coming back stronger.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) India
(2) World
(3) final
(4) tournament
(5) strong
(6) players
(7) group
(8) rivals
(9) stage
(10) teammates
(11) captain
(12) brought
(13) player
(14) process
(15) stronger
(16) determined
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. captain
Answer: (b) The person in charge of a team

2. loss
Answer: (a) The opposite of winning

3. trophy
Answer: (f) The prize for winning a competition

4. disappointed
Answer: (d) Feeling sad and let down

5. opener
Answer: (g) The first player to bat in a cricket match

6. foundation
Answer: (c) The base or starting point

7. leadership
Answer: (h) The ability to guide and inspire others

8. determined
Answer: (e) Having a strong desire to achieve something
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who is the captain of the Indian cricket team?
Answer: (c) Rohit Sharma

2. When did India last win the World Cup?
Answer: (b) 2011

3. Which team did India defeat in the group stages?
Answer: (b) Pakistan

4. What position does Rohit Sharma play in the team?
Answer: (d) Opener

5. How many runs did Rohit Sharma score against Pakistan?
Answer: (a) 86

6. What did Rohit Sharma’s role as a batter help him do as a captain?
Answer: (a) Make smart decisions

7. Who did Rohit Sharma bring back into the game when Pakistan was scoring fast?
Answer: (d) Mohammed Siraj

8. How did Rohit Sharma handle the loss in the final?
Answer: (c) He remained tough and determined
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. India will have to wait longer to win the World Cup again after their loss in the final. (Answer: True)
2. Rohit Sharma was disappointed about not being included in the team that won the World Cup in 2011. (Answer: True)
3. Rohit Sharma was not part of the Indian team when they last won the World Cup in 2011. (Answer: True)
4. Rohit Sharma did not captain the Indian cricket team in the World Cup final against Australia. (Answer: False)
5. Rohit Sharma did not play a crucial role in India’s victory against Pakistan, scoring 86 runs quickly. (Answer: False)
6. Rohit Sharma did not show great leadership as captain and made poor decisions with the bowlers and fielders. (Answer: False)
7. Rohit Sharma inconsistently performed well throughout the tournament and put himself first. (Answer: False)
8. Rohit Sharma’s strong starts as an opener helped set a good foundation for the team. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧