R Ashwin Hailed Rohit Sharma For His Captaincy: India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, continues to be absent from the national T20I side as he has opted for a break from the ODI format for the series against South Africa. While fans eagerly await his comeback to white-ball cricket, discussions have surfaced regarding his ongoing role as India’s skipper.
Despite India not securing victory in the ODI World Cup 2023 under Rohit’s leadership, the campaign for the hosts was anything but disappointing. However, it remains a fact that since MS Dhoni, no other Indian captain has successfully conquered the ICC code with the national team.
India relied significantly on Rohit’s captaincy, leading the Men In Blue to their first final since the 2011 edition. Aspiring to replicate the success of the legendary skipper MS Dhoni by securing a World Cup title, Rohit ensured India’s unbeaten streak in the lead-up to the final. With a flawless record of ten victories, the Indian cricket team also outperformed Australia in the round-robin phase of the ICC World Cup.
Nevertheless, India suffered a remarkable defeat against the Travis Head-inspired side in the final, prolonging their trophy drought in ICC events.
R Ashwin Hailed Rohit Sharma For His Captaincy
India’s experienced spinner, R Ashwin, provided a fitting explanation for the respect that captain Rohit Sharma commands in the dressing room, assessing him as a leader, a cricketer, and an individual. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said:
“If you take a look at Indian cricket, everybody will be telling you that MS Dhoni is the best captain. (But), Rohit Sharma is an outstanding person, (and) he understands every single player in the team. He knows the likes and dislikes of each of us and has a great understanding. He puts in the effort to know each player personally,”
Ashwin also opened up about not getting the chance to play for India in the final match. There were discussions about Ashwin being selected for the final, but that did not materialize. Nevertheless, the seasoned off-spinner was ready to support the team enthusiastically even from the bench. Speaking about the same, he said:
“As far as I playing the final is concerned, the team combination and all is secondary. Firstly, it’s about empathy, (and) I keep stressing it a lot. It’s like standing in someone else’s shoes and looking at things from his/her perspective. Had I been in Rohit’s shoes, I would have thought 100 times about altering the (winning) combination. It was going alright for the team, so why rest a fast bowler for three spinners?,”
He added: “Honestly, I understood Rohit Sharma’s thought process. Playing the final is big, (and) I was preparing for three days in the lead-up. At the same time, I was also prepared to cheer for the side and run in with energy drinks if I was not given the opportunity. I was mentally prepared for that as well,”
