"As a leader, he picked up a lot of nuances from MS Dhoni" - Robin Uthappa on Rohit Sharma's legacy as Mumbai Indians skipper
Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Robin Uthappa has praised Rohit Sharma's legacy as Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper between 2013 and 2023.
Rohit was replaced by Hardik Pandya as MI captain for IPL 2024, ending his decade-long run at the helm. Hardik, meanwhile, returned to MI in an off-season all-cash trade from the Gujarat Titans (GT).
Rohit's achievements as skipper range from leading MI to five titles between 2013 and 2020 and boasting an 87-67 win-loss record in 158 IPL games.
Speaking to Jio Cinema ahead of the 2024 IPL season, Uthappa expanded on Rohit's unique characteristics and skills that made him a legendary captain.
"We must also remember that he had been a part of Deccan Chargers that had won the IPL in 2009. He had a feeling of what it takes to win. He was an integral part of that side as well. One thing about Rohit is that he’s a very self-assured person. Nonchalance is a way of life for him. As a leader, he picked up a lot of nuances from MS (Dhoni). But he’s added his own touch to it and made it his own. He’s not scared to show his emotions on the field. It’s very unique to Rohit. It’s only something that he does," said Uthappa.
Despite the stunning captaincy record, Rohit's batting exploits have dipped over the past few seasons. The champion batter has averaged just 20 in the last two IPL editions and has failed to average even 30 in a season since 2016.
"He has a very good tactical understanding of the game" - Zaheer Khan
Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan echoed Robin Uthappa's sentiments, praising Rohit Sharma for being approachable and having an excellent tactical acumen.
Rohit is one of only two players (MS Dhoni the other) to lead an IPL franchise to back-to-back titles. Rohit achieved this incredible feat when MI triumphed in 2019 and 2020.
"Rohit is very intense, yet very casual. Being casual makes him approachable. But he’s very intense when he’s going about his business and preparing. That’s something that works in his favour brilliantly. He has a very good tactical understanding of the game," said Zaheer.
Despite his form slump over the past few years, Rohit is still IPL's fourth leading run-scorer with 6,211 runs in 243 games.
MI will begin their 2024 IPL campaign with a mouth-watering clash against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in a repeat of last year's Qualifier 2 at Ahmedabad on March 24.