5 captains Rohit Sharma has played under in the IPL
Rohit Sharma is the most successful captain in Indian Premier League (IPL) history. The Mumbai Indians skipper has led his franchise to five championship triumphs in the last eight seasons. No other captain has won more than three IPL trophies, which highlights Rohit's brilliance.
However, there was a period where Rohit Sharma featured in his team's playing XI as a regular top-order batsman only. Five players have had the honor of captaining Rohit in the IPL. Here's a list of those five cricketers.
5. Ricky Ponting handed over MI's captaincy to Rohit Sharma in 2013
Current Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting played his last IPL season for the Mumbai Indians in 2013. Since Ponting was past his prime, he could not get going with the bat. As a result, he dropped himself from the Mumbai playing XI despite being the team's captain.
Ponting handed the squad's reins to Rohit Sharma, who was playing his third IPL season for the Mumbai Indians. Many fans considered it a bold move because Rohit had never captained in the IPL before.
Rohit Sharma surprised fans by turning Mumbai's fortunes and eventually guiding MI to the championship in the 2013 season. Before Rohit became the skipper, he played six matches under Ponting's leadership that year.
4. Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh captained the Mumbai Indians team in IPL 2012. Veteran batsman Sachin Tendulkar stepped down as the leader just a few days before the team's first match against the Chennai Super Kings.
Harbhajan had led the Mumbai-based franchise to the Champions League T20 2011 trophy in Tendulkar's absence. Sachin also needed a break from leadership duties, asking Harbhajan to take over as the skipper.
Rohit Sharma emerged as a match-winner for the franchise under Harbhajan Singh's captaincy. He aggregated 433 runs in 16 innings and slammed his maiden IPL ton that season.
Unfortunately, the Harbhajan Singh-led outfit lost the Eliminator to the Chennai Super Kings. The following year, Ricky Ponting replaced Harbhajan as captain.