Rohit Sharma can appear to be a trifle eccentric in the middle of a no-nonsense news conference, the sort who can strip any occasion of its solemnity with his nonchalant one-liners and wit.
When a journalist sounded worried about India’s fate during the 2022 Asia Cup in Dubai, Rohit butted in to lighten the mood, assuring the press corp, “tension mat lo, dekhna hum log final mein pohuch jayenge (Don’t be tensed, we will make the final).”
Or when he was queried about the newly unveiled Sachin Tendulkar statue at the Wankhede on the eve of India’s World Cup match against Sri Lanka last year. “Aah, kya shot hain! Covers ke upar? (What shot is it! Over the covers?),” he quipped. Told that it was a lofted straight drive, he retorted, “Okay. Ab straight lofted shot wahan hain to hain... Main kya bolun? (If it’s a straight lofted shot, then it’s there! What can I say about it?)”
Rishabh Pant (left) is the first choice as the keeper-batter in the India XI, but can Rohit ignore an in-form Sanju Samson? Picture posted on X
Typically, he possesses an uncanny ability to bring the house down in the stressful environment of an ICC tournament. His apathetic approach doesn’t imply that he remains unconcerned about formulating strategy and tactics.
Behind his sense of composure, lies a fiery intensity. Still, he remains different from some of his predecessors. He never gets bogged down by stress and reaps the rewards for his man-management skills.
But he’s never swayed by success. He’s aware all the adulation can change quickly and he could be knocked off the pedestal once the reverses set in. It’s not easy to lead the team in a showpiece event, the beam of the searchlight is constantly following him on and off the field.
“I know how this whole thing works. I’m quite aware of one game here and there... I know suddenly I’ll be a bad captain. I know how it works,” he said during the World Cup.
His ICC trophy cabinet has remained empty. Losses in the last T20 World Cup semi-final besides the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup finals will again put his leadership skills to the test in the US and the West Indies.
He’s always chilled on the field and believes in assigning specific roles to every player so that there’s clarity in what is expected of them. None of India’s knockout losses have been due to his below-par on-field captaincy.
On a dry Ahmedabad pitch in November, Pat Cummins’ decision to bat first proved to be the gamechanger as the dew set in.
Rohit could hardly be blamed as the batters’ performance let India down.
Shubman Gill had put it down well. “Everything, everything about him really impresses me... I stand as a learner in the Powerplay... He scores 4, he scores 6... and I just watch,” the young opener said.
The ultimate challenge for any captain is to make sure every player is on the same page. “The biggest challenge for any captain is to handle different kinds of players... What a captain can do is absorb all things and respond accordingly.
“The biggest thing I have learned since becoming captain is that every player should be given equal importance so that everyone feels that they are part of this team...” Rohit said on Star Sports recently.
How Rohit deals with his ‘strained’ relationship with Hardik Pandya will be the biggest challenge. The scars of him being dethroned by Pandya at the Mumbai Indians’ helm are still fresh leading to speculation about their dismal showing in the IPL.
Several sources confirmed that the Rohit-Pandya chemistry had reached its lowest ebb during the tournament. The all-rounder has been in good spirits and practising hard since linking up with the squad in New York. Pandya’s performance with both the bat and the ball will go a long way in shaping India’s fortunes.
The Rohit-Rahul Dravid combine will be in its final lap in the T20 World Cup this time. There will be no laxity in preparation.
In a fast-paced and ever-changing format like the T20, the captain has to be hands-on and instinctive. Rohit can quickly adjust to the growing demands in a match, best exemplified by Mumbai Indians’ five IPL titles.
“My approach to captaincy is different, as I believe in more data-based analysis and understanding of the new trends. I spend a lot of time in meeting rooms to prepare myself for certain situations that might arise during the match,” he conceded.
Rohit is a master tactician and it never seems like captaincy has been thrust upon him. But there’s no guarantee for success in the hurly-burly world of T20 cricket which is akin to gambling.
Will this World Cup be Rohit’s swansong in this format? A successful sojourn could mean a status quo but much will depend on the new head coach’s plans to take Team India to the next level.
