"Enjoyed my each and every moment with him; he's put team in a situation where there's no looking back" - Rohit Sharma signifies Virat Kohli's legacy
India's new limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma paid tribute to his predecessor Virat Kohli on Sunday. He hailed Kohli for leading India with grit and determination and putting the team in a situation where "there's no looking back". The 34-year-old said he has relished every moment of their time together and will continue to do so.
Rohit Sharma took over the T20I captaincy after this year's T20 World Cup when Virat Kohli stepped down. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) awarded him the ODI captaincy earlier this week, apparently to maintain consistency in leadership in both white-ball formats. He has also been made Test vice-captain, with Virat Kohli continuing to lead in the longest format.
Rohit Sharma was asked about Virat Kohli's legacy for the first time since the debate and clamor over the leadership changes. Replying with his typical calmness, he also hailed the Test skipper for leading from the front every time in the last five years, saying the team had a "great time" under him. He told BCCI.tv:
"He's put the team in a situation where there's no looking back. Those five years that he's led the team, he led from the front every time we stepped onto the park. Yeah, there was clear grit and determination to win every game. That was the message to the entire squad and we had a great time playing under him. Obviously, I have played a lot of cricket with him together, I have enjoyed each and every moment and I'll still continue to do that."
🗣️🗣️ "The pressure will always be there. As a cricketer, it is important to focus on my job."
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Virat Kohli took over India's captaincy in 2017. His five years in charge saw India become a near impregnable white-ball side at home and one of the toughest overseas challengers, especially in bilaterals. In all, he led in 95 ODIs and 50 T20Is, winning 70.43 percent and 64.58 percent of those respectively.
"We need to get better as a team, get better as individuals" - Rohit Sharma
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Speaking in the same breath as his praise for Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma also talked about how now it's important for the Men in Blue to focus on improving as a team and as individuals. The white-ball captain said:
"We need to get better as a team, get better as individuals. That'll be the focus of not just me but the entire squad moving forward. And that's what we'll be looking forward to, you know, keep getting better and make sure [we know] how we can get better as a team."
Rohit Sharma's first tour as white-ball captain will begin on December 26 against South Africa, with the first of the three ODIs set to be played on January 19.