Rohit Sharma is likely to leave the Indian Premier League as the league’s most successful skipper in terms of games and trophies. He’s already won five championships with the Mumbai Indians since 2013, and he’s only 34. There were two of them in a row, one after the other. And if Mumbai’s performance in the first match of the IPL 2021 season is any indication, a third consecutive title appears to be within reach.
A fantastic captain leads this incredibly successful team, which is perhaps the most successful team in T20 cricket history. But what distinguishes Rohit as such a good captain? The Mumbai Indians haven’t won a championship in their first few years, so how has he done it? These are the-
Five qualities that make Rohit Sharma the best captain in IPL
Backs young players and players going through a rough patch
Any successful captain must have the capacity to recognise and support potential. A captain must be able to communicate with the other 10 players on the field in order to comprehend their game. It’s easy to recall stories about legendary captains who stood by their men through thick and thin, even when things looked bleak.
When Rohit was captain of the Mumbai Indians, he stood by his players even when they were having difficulties, and those players went on to achieve great success. In 2016, Hardik Pandya, for example, batted at a 6. As time passed, Rohit stood by Pandya’s side, and the Mumbai Indians have relied on him time and time again to deliver when it mattered most. Consider Pollard, who only a few years ago appeared to be on the verge of retirement. His tally had dwindled, but Rohit and the squad stood by him, and he’s been flawless the last two seasons. Although Lasith Malinga had a dismal season, Rohit Sharma decided to keep him around for his expertise. As a bowler, Bumrah has grown into his role over time.
Then there’s Rahul Chahar, who’s freely revealed that Rohit has frequently supported up young players like him despite their form fluctuating. All of Rohit’s knowledge about a player’s form may come from his own journey. You’re the only one who knows what it’s like to have it but not be able to put it on. It’s a gift for a team to have a captain who has been through it all.
2. Instilling belief in the team even if the going gets tough
Rohit Sharma may go down in IPL history as one of the best all-rounders and captains. He’ll be well-known as the captain of a powerful team, the Mumbai Indians. The situation changed when Rohit was named captain. As dramatic as it sounds, Mumbai was adequate before the 2013 campaign.
For Mumbai Indians, it was all about turning their fortunes around in one season in 2013, when they began out well before winning their first championship. Ricky Ponting, a former Australian captain known for his batting prowess, decided to retire because of his struggles. Mumbai came from nowhere to win the title after Rohit was named captain in the middle of the season. They also won the now-defunct Champions League in that year. The rest is history, as they say.
Mumbai had shaky starts in the following seasons. While they did not win their first five games, they did make the playoffs in 2014 by chasing 190 runs in 14.4 overs against Rajasthan, one of the most exciting matches ever played in the IPL. As in 2015, Mumbai had a sluggish start before becoming champions. When things go rough, you need a captain like Rohit to inspire confidence in the team.
3. Has batted in different positions and adapted according to the team’s need
Only in 2013 did Rohit begin to open regularly for India. In spite of his prowess as an opener for India in T20Is, Rohit often slipped down the order to give the impression that Mumbai’s middle-order was strong. Yes, as strange as it seems, Mumbai had a shaky middle-order after Rohit took control.
Hardik Pandya was a rookie, Krunal Pandya was a relative unknown, and Kieron Pollard was as inconsistent as he had ever been at the time. Mumbai did discover a few quality top-order players in Lendl Simmons, Parthiv Patel, and Evin Lewis, among others. Rohit, who was probably most effective in the top order, was forced to bat at No. 4 in order to provide some steadiness in the middle.
With time, Mumbai acquired players like Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan, who batted well in the middle order. As Hardik, Krunal, and Pollard developed, Rohit was able to return to the opening slot, which he liked. In other words, if you own a team and are looking for a captain, you want someone who can adjust to the squad’s changing needs. It’s critical that we acknowledge Rohit for exactly what he accomplished.
4. Tactically Brilliant
Captaincy in cricket is a thankless task, as is widely known around the world. In retrospect, however, managing a T20 squad must be far more challenging. Because it’s a fast-paced game, the number of decisions a captain must make per minute is more than, say, in a Test match.
This does not imply that captaining a T20 side is any easier than leading a T20 side in a Test match; on the contrary, it is a lot more difficult. It necessitates a high level of alertness at all times. During a T20 contest, a fielding change is almost certainly required after every ball is bowled, and the over pace can drastically alter the outcome. An effective T20 cricket captain is one who is tactically astute.
Now that we all have a better understanding of the tactical pressures placed on a T20 cricket captain, it is appropriate to acknowledge that Rohit Sharma has demonstrated throughout the years what a wonderful cricketer he is. Five IPL titles can’t be won without a tactical captain in the mix. The aggressive captaincy style of Rohit has worked well in the IPL because of the game’s quick tempo. In the future, when he is no longer serving as captain, we would like to hear about his mind.
5. A cool and calm composure
Of course, captains fall into one of two categories: those who are animated and whose expressions accurately reflect the game’s circumstances. Others, on the other hand, refuse to budge with their facial expressions. Rohit, on the other hand, is roughly in the middle of the pack. When things get tight, you’ll see him wandering around his bowlers, cheering them on.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a fast-paced competition in which players are under enormous pressure. The stakes are really high. Fans, players, captains, coaches, and commentators are all on their toes at all times. When you look at Rohit, you can tell he’s in his own world, as he exudes serenity and optimism. When under pressure, the team looks to their leader for tranquilly, and Rohit provides it to them.
Both Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni fall short of the gold standard when it comes to on-field conduct in Indian cricket. Rohit falls somewhere in the middle. He possesses Dhoni’s patience and control, while his eyes show Kohli’s ferocity. After a terrible over, Rohit is seen talking to a player with an arm around his shoulder, which tells you what a player wants in a captain. Rohit has a good point.
