5 current players who have expressed their love for Rohit Sharma's leadership ft. Ravichandran Ashwin

Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently showered praise on Indian skipper Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership qualities during the recent Test series between India and England. This public appreciation came through Ashwin's own YouTube channel.

The incident Ashwin referred to took place during the third Test in Rajkot. Ashwin, who had just achieved the milestone of 500 Test wickets, received worrying news about his mother's health. Torn between his commitment to the team and his family emergency, Ashwin confided in Rohit Sharma.

Ashwin highlighted Rohit's decisive leadership in that critical moment. The Indian captain not only supported Ashwin's decision to be with his family but also went above and beyond.

According to Ashwin, Rohit arranged a chartered flight to ensure he reached Chennai quickly and even insisted on the team physiotherapist accompanying him for moral support.

This gesture by Rohit resonated deeply with Ashwin, who waxed lyrical for his skipper. Rohit has not only led his team to resounding victories but has also garnered immense respect from his fellow cricketers.

Here, we delve into the hearts and minds of five current players who have openly expressed their admiration for Rohit Sharma's leadership style, highlighting the impact he has had on their cricketing journeys.

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#5 KL Rahul

India v New Zealand - T20 International

In December 2023, KL Rahul spoke about his admiration for Rohit Sharma's captaincy in an interview with MensXP.

One key strength Rahul highlighted was Rohit's meticulous preparation. He explained how Rohit goes the extra mile, thoroughly analyzing the opposition's strengths and weaknesses.

During his podcast with MensXP, Rahul mentioned:

"I have never seen anyone do it better than Rohit. He always knows the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition - at what stage of the game and how they play, he knows it all. Lots of success that we had in the World Cup is because of how prepared he is and how he is always two steps ahead of the game."

Rahul further opened up about Rohit's zen-like leadership, describing how he stays cool while going to each player, briefing them on their roles and his expectations from them.

“He is also very calm and very chilled out. He goes to each player and makes sure that every player knows what their role is and what the captain is expecting from them?”

Rohit and Rahul have enjoyed great success on the pitch together. They complement each other well and have added 3,872 runs at an average of 55.31, which is the best for between any partners for India (minimum of 3000 runs).

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#4 Suryakumar Yadav

Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav during a training session

Just four days after India's defeat in the 2023 World Cup finals, Suryakumar took over the captaincy for the T20I series against Australia.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Suryakumar publicly praised Rohit's leadership during the World Cup and uttered that he was proud of what Rohit did during the showpiece event.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the series, Suryakumar hailed Rohit over his World Cup exploits.

"That's one thing which will set the example - what he has done in the World Cup. It was a completely different Rohit Sharma what you saw. I mean, he literally walked the talk. I mean, what we spoke about in the team meeting, he did the same thing on the ground, and we are very proud of him as a leader. He led by example, and hopefully we try and replicate the same thing,” he said.

Suryakumar highlighted how Rohit "led by example" throughout the tournament. The Indian skipper was the second-highest run-getter of the tournament with 597 runs at a superb strike rate of 125.95.

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#3 Mohammed Shami

India v New Zealand: Semi Final - ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023

Another Indian player who lavished praise on Rohit is Mohammed Shami, who is currently nursing with surgery and will miss the upcoming IPL 2024.

In May 2021, Shami praised Rohit's leadership saying that India's opening batter gives freedom to bowlers. He emphasized that Rohit trusts his bowlers' judgment on the field, giving them the freedom to bowl based on their instincts.

This autonomy and positive reinforcement, according to Shami, significantly bolsters bowler confidence, a critical factor for a team's bowling success.

"As a bowler, when I go to him for advice, he always gives positive answers. Rohit always pushes the bowlers to do what their mind tells them to, irrespective of how the batsman is playing or his strong point. I think that is very important for the confidence of a fast bowler." Shami told India TV.

Under Rohit's captaincy, Shami has taken a total of 64 wickets at an average of 22.34 across 38 innings so far.

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#2 Yashasvi Jaiswal

India v England - 3rd Test Match: Day One

Just recently, Yashasvi Jaiswal, the young Indian opener, praised India's captain and his opening partner referring to him as an outstanding leader.

Yashasvi contributed significantly as Rohit Sharma guided the Indian team to an impressive 4-1 series victory against England in the recent Test match series.

While Jaiswal remained secretive about specific moments within the dressing room, he did highlight Rohit's strong backing of his players. Jaiswal particularly appreciated that Rohit, "whatever happens, will be there to stand by you."

This unwavering support, according to Jaiswal, is an "incredible" quality in a leader. He further emphasized his desire to keep learning from Rohit, both on and off the field.

Jaiswal told Indian Express:

"It's so good to have him there inside the dressing room. It has been great to play under him. There are a lot of moments which I don't want to disclose at the moment. Let it be with me. The way he backed players throughout this journey, the way he talks, the way he bats. Whatever happens, he will be there to stand by you. I think it's incredible to see that in your leader. I will keep learning from him."

The comments came after a successful Test series against England where Jaiswal was the star performer. The southpaw was named the Player of the Series for his record-breaking 712 runs at an average of 89.00.

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#1 Ravichandran Ashwin

India v England - 3rd Test Match: Day Two

During a Test in Rajkot, Ashwin received news that his mother was hospitalized. Devastated and desperate to be by her side, Ashwin found himself stuck due to the limitations of the local airport closing at night. It was in this moment of crisis that Rohit Sharma truly impressed Ashwin.

Rohit, along with coach Rahul Dravid, intervened and arranged a special charter flight for Ashwin to get back home to his family. Ashwin highlighted this gesture as a defining moment, showcasing Rohit's immense empathy and player-centric approach to captaincy.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said:

"In such a selfish society, a man who thinks about someone else’s well-being is a rarity. My respect for him grew tremendously after that. I already had my respect for him as a leader; he backs a player without question until the last moment. It isn’t an easy thing. Even Dhoni does that. But he takes 10 steps more. When it gets this personal, a player can give a life for him."

Day 3 of the Rajkot Test saw Ravichandran Ashwin skip the pitch to spend time with his sick mother, who collapsed after a headache. On Day 4, the veteran player returned to the group and was part of India's win by a huge margin of 434 runs against England.