Rohit Sharma has been given one of the highest compliments of his career by former India coach Ravi Shastri, who has placed Rohit alongside MS Dhoni in terms of captaincy. While Rohit has been recognized as a superior batter compared to Dhoni over the last decade, Shastri’s comparison of Rohit’s leadership to Dhoni’s—India’s only captain to win all three major ICC titles—is a significant accolade.
Shastri, who oversaw both players from 2015 to 2021, finds no difference between Dhoni and Rohit in terms of captaincy. Dhoni is celebrated as India’s greatest captain, but Rohit’s leadership in the T20 World Cup in June has solidified his status among India’s World Cup-winning captains, including Dhoni and Kapil Dev.
‘As a tactician, let’s not forget that he’s been outstanding. Rohit will go down as one of the best captains ever, alongside Dhoni. If you ask me who’s better, I’d say both are on par in white-ball cricket tactics. I can’t pay a bigger compliment to Rohit than that,’ Shastri said on the ICC Review Show.
Since becoming India’s full-time captain in November 2021, Rohit initially struggled, losing the 2022 Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup. However, his leadership shone in 2023 with a Test series victory over Australia at home, an Asia Cup win, and a runner-up finish at the ODI World Cup—one of India’s most dominant campaigns ever.
Rohit’s tenure as captain has seen highs and lows, including a 1-1 Test draw in South Africa and a 4-1 series win against England at home. His most notable achievement came during the World Cup in the USA and West Indies, where his crucial performances and tactical decisions, such as strategically using Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, guided India to the final.
Shastri was particularly impressed with Rohit’s ability to handle challenging situations, such as supporting Axar Patel after a difficult over and making pivotal decisions during crucial moments. ‘Rohit was tactically outstanding in this year’s T20 World Cup. His calmness and ability to utilize key players like Bumrah and Pandya at the right moments were great to see,’ Shastri noted.
