In a candid conversation on Ravichandran Ashwin’s YouTube channel, former Indian spinner Ashwin asked fellow cricketer Varun Chakaravarthy to share his thoughts on the differences between the captaincy styles of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy of the Indian team after Virat Kohli and led India to several notable successes in limited-overs cricket. Under his leadership, India reached the final of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, won the T20 World Cup in 2024, and clinched the Champions Trophy in 2025.
When asked to compare the two captains, Varun Chakaravarthy praised both but highlighted their contrasting approaches.
“Virat is a true leader. When you just see him, when you just observe what he is doing and you must have also noticed the match against Pakistan, you were also there. We lost first two wickets to Shaheen Shah Afridi. But when Virat came, he stepped down and hit Shaheen for six and it was so inspiring and motivational, but how he is giving it back and all this. So Virat is exceptional, as in the way he can cheer up everyone. So the main thing was whenever I spoke to him, his answers were very motivational… And when I spoke to Rohit Sharma, it was very tactical. So it was two different parts,” Chakaravarthy said.
Ashwin echoed Chakaravarthy’s perspective, acknowledging both captains’ strengths
“So one is inspirational, the other one more tactical, which I kind of resonate. Because Virat goes and does things. He is there in your eye line — the way he trains, the way he practices, what he does. But Rohit does understand a lot more tactics in terms of what he does. Everything is tactical in terms of field placement, this batsman, this shot and all that,” Ashwin added.
Both Kohli and Rohit have recently announced their retirement from Test cricket, having stepped away from T20Is after India’s World Cup triumph in 2024. The leadership baton has now passed to Shubman Gill, with Rishabh Pant appointed as the vice-captain.
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