“For those who know him, he’s the same” - Shikhar Dhawan heaps praise on captain Rohit Sharma

Team India’s ODI opener Shikhar Dhawan has lavished praise on captain Rohit Sharma, describing him as a "very helpful soul". The 36-year-old said that his long-time opening partner may have become the all-format leader, but remains the same as a person.

Rohit and Dhawan are one of the most successful ODI opening pairs in the history of the game. As an opening combination, they have amassed 4994 runs in 111 innings at an average of 45.40.

In an interview with the Times of India, Dhawan opened up about the qualities that he admires in Rohit, saying:

“He is a gem of a person. He is chilled, relaxed, smart, and very approachable. That last bit (approachable) is his best quality. He reads the game very well. And he may be the captain now, but for those who know him, he’s the same Rohit. He is a very helpful soul. And another good quality in him, even if he has something hard to tell you, he will tell you in a manner that it won’t feel that way once he has.”

Rohit took over as India’s T20 captain after Virat Kohli quit the post following the T20 World Cup last year. He was also appointed ODI captain after Kohli was sacked as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wanted one white-ball leader for both formats.

Rohit recently took over the mantle of the Test captaincy during the home series against Sri Lanka, which India won 2-0.

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“I believe a lot in Sevas” - Shikhar Dhawan

During the interaction, the 36-year-old also shared details about his philanthropic activities. Opening up about this upcoming foundation, he informed:

"I believe a lot in Sevas. So, I am opening a foundation called the Sikhar Dhawan Foundation Pact 11. We are going to collaborate with 11 NGOs and provide them with funding. Through my foundation, I will help other foundations, to cater to education and health care.”

The seasoned opener’s love for music is well-known. He often shares videos of himself playing the flute on his social media handles. Asked if he is classically trained, Dhawan revealed:

“Yes, I am. I have learnt ragas, alankaras. I started five years back. When we are on tour, we have lots of time on our hands. So, I thought of ways to use that time better. I started falling in love with the flute whenever I had an opportunity to listen to someone playing it. So, I thought why not learn it. This is the age of technology, so I learnt it online. Now I enjoy playing it.”

The left-hander was purchased by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 auction in Bengaluru last month for ₹8.25 crore.