"A different voice is sometimes good for a team" - Russell Arnold heaps praise on Rohit Sharma's captaincy
Former Sri Lankan player Russell Arnold has lauded Rohit Sharma's captaincy following team India's dominant 62-run victory over Sri Lanka in the T20I series opener at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Speaking on Star Sports, the cricketer-turned-commentator stated that the Indian side needed a new voice after their disastrous T20 World Cup 2021 campaign. He underlined how Sharma has been leading from the front since taking over the reins from Virat Kohli.
The 48-year-old suggested that the Indian side appeared to be worn out by the pressure of expectations at the T20 World Cup last year. He feels that the players are now freely expressing themselves on the field. Arnold said:
"A different voice is sometimes good for a team, that's what India needed. I thought in that T20 World Cup, the pressure of expectations seemed to wear them down. Now that it's over, all of them are able to express themselves. The captain himself, he generally leads from the front. We never felt he was scoring but he was scoring with a strike rate of 140-150, which is exceptional."
Meanwhile, with their thumping win over Sri Lanka, India have now extended their longest winning streak in T20Is to 10 matches. It is worth mentioning that Rohit Sharma and Co. are just two wins away from becoming the team with the most consecutive victories in the shortest format.
That's that from the 1st T20I.
#TeamIndia win by 62 runs and go 1-0 up in the three-match series.
Scorecard - bit.ly/INDvSL-1STT20I #INDvSL @Paytm https://t.co/S2EoR9yesm
"The depth is there in the Indian line-up and that will make Rohit's life a lot easier" - Russell Arnold
Arnold suggested that Sharma does not need to say much if he continues to stay composed. He added that the skipper's job will be much easier given the depth of the squad. Arnold remarked:
"If someone can look so good and look so cool, he really doesn't have to say much. Everyone will follow him. The depth is there in the Indian line-up and that will make Rohit's life a lot easier."
India and Sri Lanka are scheduled to lock horns in the 2nd T20I on Saturday (February 26) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. The fixture is a must-win one for the visitors as they look to stay afloat in the series.