When one decides to take up sports as a career, one of the highlights that they will dream of is being able to lead the country.
But to get to that point, one needs to be consistent for years and display leadership abilities whenever possible. If there is ever a player on whom captaincy rests easily, it is Rohit Sharma.
Due to Virat Kohli’s superhuman ability and meteoric rise, it was only natural that he would receive the captaincy post MS Dhoni’s resignation from limited overs and retirement from Tests. However, Rohit Sharma would have also been a great choice, had he been able to break into the longer format.
Elated beyond words:
With patience however, Rohit was rewarded the vice-captaincy post of the Indian team after the Sri Lankan tour. He said that it was an honour and all he ever wanted was to represent the country ten years back. He also said that it was a kind of honour that would require him to play some sort of role when the first ODI is played on the 20th of August. He was not thinking too much about it and just wanted to enjoy the moment.
“It’s a kind of honour that whenever the opportunity comes – the first One-Dayer, when we come [play] on August 20 – there will be some sort of role that I will need to play, and I am looking forward to it. I am not thinking too much about it, I just want to enjoy the moment as of now. Yes, it will be a good opportunity for me to get on to the field,” Rohit Sharma said.
He said he was looking forward to playing a “behind the scene role” and spoke about the difference being the captain in the IPL and for India.
“It’s a different ball game completely. IPL and when you come and play international cricket, it is completely different. But again, the excitement and the energy level is the same. So yes, nothing changes too much. I am the vice-captain here, there I was the captain, so I was more in front. Here I have to play a little behind-the-scene role. But yes, I will be very excited to step on to the field as the vice-captain of the Indian team,” he said.
He said that the two were two different ball games but the intensity was the same. The energy levels were the same, and he is looking forward to the challenge.
New role from 20th:
Rohit is an able deputy who has shown that he can captain a squad, after winning the IPL twice with the Mumbai Indians franchise. Should Kohli miss out a game due to injury or any other reason, Rohit will be able to lead the team and will be aided by the likes of MS Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan if needed.
