Rohit Sharma‘s influential and charismatic leadership played a pivotal role in Team India’s series triumph over England. Ahead of the 5th Test in the ongoing 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship, former Indian pacer Praveen Kumar unveiled the camaraderie and respect Rohit Sharma’s commands among his teammates, and dubbed him ‘yaaro ka yaar’ (friend of friends). Kumar’s revelation shed light on Rohit Sharma’s skill in nurturing loyalty among the squad, elevating him from a mere skipper to a trusted companion during matches.
Following his stellar T20I comeback in the third and final match of the series during Afghanistan’s tour of India in which he battered the opposition bowlers to amass 121* off 69, the seasoned Indian opener has been named the skipper of the Men In Blue for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024. Stepping into the shoes of batting maestro Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma took charge after India’s lackluster performance at the T20 World Cup 2021.
Under the guidance of coach Rahul Dravid, Sharma led the team to the semi-finals in the same tournament in Australia in 2022, marking a significant transition in leadership.
Rohit Sharma eyes ICC silverware with IPL captaincy burden off his shoulders
After India’s mortifying exit from the semi-final of the T20 World Cup in 2021, Rohit steered the Indian team to two ICC finals against Australia. The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) saw India clash with Pat Cummins’ squad at the Oval. Five months later, Sharma’s men faced Australia again, led by Cummins, in the ICC 50-over World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Confirmed to lead India in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Rohit will aim to break India’s ICC trophy drought this June in the West Indies and the USA.
Ahead of the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season, the 36-year-old will assume the role of a dedicated batter for the Mumbai Indians (MI). All-rounder Hardik Pandya has taken over the captaincy reins for MI in the upcoming campaign. Rohit, who was instrumental in MI’s five IPL title victories in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020, stepped back from leadership duties to focus solely on his batting. Former Indian pacer Praveen Kumar believes the same and has spoken about it loud and clear.
Mumbai Indians must have spoken to their magnificent skipper Rohit Sharma before handing IPL 2024 reigns to Hardik Pandya- Praveen Kumar
Former Indian pacer Praveen Kumar believes that Mumbai Indians think tank must have spoken to skipper Rohit Sharma before handing IPL 2024 reigns to Hardik Pandya and even buying him through trade during the auction.
The five time IPL champions faced a lot of scrutiny , particularly by fans on social media , after they decided to replace Rohit Sharma as captain with Hardik . However Praveen Kumar feels that this move will not change how the Former MI skipper Rohit Sharma goes about his business in IPL 2024.
Here’s what Praveen told to TOI regarding Rohit Sharma’s role for MI :
“I don’t think it (losing MI captaincy) would affect Rohit in any way because he knows his role well. It won’t matter to Rohit whether he is a captain or not. I am sure Mumbai Indians management must have spoken to Rohit before taking this decision (giving captaincy to Hardik). Without any conversation and talk with Rohit, MI can’t take this big decision.”
IPL 2024 is set to begin on March 22 with a match between defending champions Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chepauk. Meanwhile, Hardik-led MI will lead take on Gujarat Titans in their campaign opener in Ahmedabad and it would be interested to see how Rohit Sharma as a pure batter performs as a practice to upcoming T20I World Cup soon after.
The BCCI has released the schedule only for the first 21 matches of IPL 2024, owing to the Lok Sabha Elections. The remaining schedule will be announced after the date for elections is out.