Indian cricketers Mohammed Shami and Shreyas Iyer recently shared their experiences of playing under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. The duo expressed their views during the CEAT Cricket Award show in Mumbai, where they praised Rohit’s leadership style.
Both players highlighted Rohit’s ability to give his teammates the freedom to express themselves on the field. This approach has been successful in integrating newcomers into the team and achieving consistent success in various tournaments. Shami mentioned that Rohit only shows his fiery side when players fail to meet his expectations and stick to the game plan.
During the award show, Shami said, “The best thing about Rohit Sharma is that he gives you freedom but if you don’t live up to his expectations then the reactions we see on the screen, the ones we understand without him saying anything, start to come out.”
Iyer echoed Shami’s sentiments, adding that the Indian team is accustomed to Rohit’s way of communication. He said, “We fill in the words ‘woh’, ‘yeh’, ‘usko’, ‘isko’, it is kind of like fill in the blanks for us. So, we just visualise that what will happen in that particular moment or he is talking about what will happen in another situation. But, we understand his feelings, we have been playing with him for so many years.”
Rohit Sharma, who was honored as the Men’s International Cricketer of the Year at the event, responded to Shami and Iyer’s comments by emphasizing the importance of staying true to oneself on the field. He stated, “There’s a simple story behind this. I keep telling them to be themselves on the field, but for that first I have to be myself, and that is how I am, and that is how I want to be on the field as well.”
Rohit’s leadership style was recently showcased during a match when he expressed his frustration with Washington Sundar’s repeated delays in his delivery stride. Despite this, Rohit’s teammates appreciate his direct approach and understand his intentions behind his actions.
Looking ahead, Rohit Sharma will lead Team India in the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh. His leadership and communication skills will be crucial in guiding the team to success on the field.
