Rohit Sharma led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles in his captaincy tenure with Mumbai Indians.
Rohit Sharma is among the most successful captains of IPL. He led Mumbai Indians from 2013-2023 and won five IPL titles during this tenure. In the process, he also became the first captain to win five IPL titles.
But in a shock announcement before IPL 2024 auction, Rohit was replaced by Hardik Pandya as Mumbai Indians skipper. The team management termed it as a transitional phase. As a result, Rohit Sharma will play as a pure batter in IPL 2024.
While talking to Jio Cinema, former India batter Robin Uthappa shared his views on Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. He lauded Rohit’s captaincy style and his evolution over the years.
“We must also remember that he had been a part of Deccan Chargers that had won the IPL in 2009. He had a feeling of what it takes to win. He was an integral part of that side as well. One thing about Rohit is that he’s a very self-assured person. Nonchalance is a way of life for him,” Uthappa said.
“As a leader, he picked up a lot of nuances from MS (Dhoni). But he’s added his own touch to it and made it his own. He’s not scared to show his emotions on the field. It’s very unique to Rohit. It’s only something that he does,” he added.
Former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan also praised Rohit Sharma’s tactical acumen.
“Rohit is very intense, yet very casual. Being casual makes him approachable. But he’s very intense when he’s going about his business and preparing. That’s something that works in his favour brilliantly. He has a very good tactical understanding of the game,” Zaheer said.
As a captain, Rohit Sharma has an 87-67 win-loss record in 158 games in the IPL. Under him, Mumbai Indians had a formidable line-up which boasted of one of the best T20 players ever. But Mumbai Indians have failed to reach the final since 2020. This might have prompted the management to look at other options to lead the team.
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Despite being a successful captain, Rohit Sharma’s batting form has dipped in the last few years. Since 2016, he has failed to average more than 30 for a season. With the burden of captaincy removed from his shoulders, he is likely to play with freedom at the top. Despite his removal from Mumbai Indians’ captaincy, Rohit Sharma will continue to lead India at the upcoming T20 World Cup.
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