"Even MS Dhoni made blunders like giving Pawan Negi an over"- Parthiv Patel on what made Rohit Sharma a legendary skipper in IPL
Former Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel had the privilege of playing under the captaincy of both Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni.
While both Rohit and Dhoni are legendary skippers with five IPL titles each, Patel reckons the former MI skipper's ability to remain calm under pressure sets him apart.
Speaking to PTI, Parthiv Patel recalled a game between MI and CSK in IPL 2015 where MS Dhoni handed the ball to Pawan Negi in the penultimate over. It proved costly as Hardik Pandya took the left-arm spinner to the cleaners. Claiming that Rohit Sharma hardly made an error like that, Patel said:
"The hallmark of Rohit's captaincy is such that in last 10 years, you don't remember that he made a blunder. Even Dhoni made blunders like giving Pawan Negi an over. In IPL, taking on the spot decisions is the biggest challenge and I think he (Rohit) did it well."
Rohit has also won a staggering four IPL finals against a side consisting of MS Dhoni. Two of the triumphs came on the final ball in the 2017 and 2019 editions, thereby underlining Rohit's ability to remain calm under pressure.
Parthiv Patel on how Rohit Sharma backed potential stars
Rohit Sharma has also had a reputation for backing youngsters and getting the best out of them. Parthiv Patel proved the reputation to be true by giving the examples of star players Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. On this, he stated:
"Bumrah came into the MI setup in 2014 and by 2015, his performances weren't great. They even pondered sending him back after half the season. But Rohit Sharma believed in his abilities and from 2016 onwards, his performances have been excellent. Same with Hardik Pandya. He came in 2015 and became popular. His 2016 season wasn't great but MI stuck to him and he became the player he is today."
Both Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya have gone on to become incredibly vital cricketers not just for MI but also for India. Hardik is back to where it all began for him and will be leading MI in the IPL 2024 season.