Never saw a skipper with as much passion as Rohit Sharma has: Vikram Rathour

Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, was praised by former batting coach Vikram Rathour for his excellent tactical judgement and leadership qualities. India advanced to the finals of both the ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship Final 2023 under his direction, however the Men in Blue were unable to win any of those tournaments. But they eventually pulled it off in the T20 World Cup 2024, assisting India in winning their first ICC trophy in eleven years.

Although the Nagpur-born cricketer might forget whether he chooses to bat or bowl, Rathour pointed out that he wouldn’t forget the strategy. The 55-year-old emphasised that in order to develop the best plan, Rohit spends a lot of time talking with the coaches and players. He also mentioned that he always sits with the cricket players to get to know them and their thoughts.

“He never forgets his game strategy, even if he might forget his phone and iPad in the team bus or whether he elected to bat or bowl at the toss. In the podcast “Find a Way with Taruwar Kohli,” Rathour stated, “He is very good at it and is a very shrewd tactician.”

He is the captain of the player. He has a stake in the players. Never before have I witnessed a captain who is so committed to team meetings and tactics. He devotes a great deal of time to the team’s plan. He attends the batters’ and bowlers’ meetings. In an effort to learn more about the thoughts of the hitters and bowlers, he would want to sit with them. He devotes a great deal of time to the players,” he continued.

Also Read: Duleep Trophy 2024–2025: Questions for Sunil Gavaskar The exclusion of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

Vikram Rathour also described how, early in the T20 World Cup final, Rohit finished off Jasprit Bumrah’s overs without hesitation. India was virtually out of the game with five overs remaining and thirty runs needed. At that point, Bumrah was introduced by Rohit, who seized charge of the situation and altered the course of the match.

In light of this, Vikram Rathour claimed that his tactical choices are always on point and occasionally even surprise the coaches.

He is an excellent captain tactically. He ended Bumrah’s innings early in the T20 World Cup final. That choice may have been questioned by many, but it left us in a position where 16 was required in the final over. He makes excellent tactical choices when playing the game. It surprises you as a coach as well when you’re sitting outside. From the outside, we occasionally wonder what he is doing, but eventually you realise what he has done,” he continued.