The captain, a fierce competitor, can be ruthless in his pursuit of victory and has the ability to clearly communicate his thought process to teammates…
When Virat Kohli took over as Test captain nearly 10 years ago, ‘intent’ became the buzzword in Indian cricket. The popular understanding was that the team management was pressing batters to bat at a faster strike rate. What it actually implied was the ability to push the game forward at all times in a Test match.A potent pace attack, comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, became the trump card in Kohli’s era.
When Rohit Sharma took over, the foundation of the team was ready but there was an important change. “For me, aggression is all about your actions, not the reactions,” he told bcci.tv after India’s jaw-dropping win in Kanpur.
The deal is simple with Rohit: play to win at all times. He is as fierce a competitor as anyone on the cricket field. He can be ruthless in his pursuit of victory.
What transpired in the last two days of the Kanpur Test, in which India steamrolled Bangladesh against the clock, was testimony to Rohit’s leadership approach. He has the ability to clearly communicate his thought process to teammates. As the stump mics often pick up, Rohit’s informal, colloquial language creates a ‘big brother’ vibe on the field.
On an online show with some of India’s well-known standup comics, Rishabh Pant was recently asked how he copes with Rohit’s forgetful nature. “When we are on the field, we know exactly what he means,” Pant said.
Rohit has been branded the ‘Hitman’ of Indian cricket. But he is far from being the larger-than-life superstar. Gabba in 2021, with many frontline players missing, is considered a heist for the ages. But it wasn’t a one-off.
During the five-Test series against England at home earlier this year, Rohit didn’t have the services of Kohli, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant. He handed four players their Test caps in that series and all of them responded immediately with some special performances.
For Rohit, it’s about getting everyone on board and making them believe in the gameplan. If one analyses India’s dominant run at the ODI World Cup last year and the T20 World Cup triumph this year, uninhibited cricket has been at the core of his gameplan.
Rohit also takes it upon himself to set the tone. “When Rohit says we are going for 400 in 50 overs in a Test match and then goes out and tonks the first two balls for sixes, you know your skipper can walk the talk. After that, everyone else in the dressing room has to do that,” Ravichandran Ashwin said after the Kanpur win.
“When you are playing at such a high level, you have to be calm to think wisely. Not every decision will go your way but you have to still back your decision. I use my experience and knowledge to trust myself,” Rohit stated.
Rohit will turn 38 in six months and will probably be in the last lap of his career. But one can be sure he’ll be thinking about another exciting dash to the finish line.
