Ten years at the helm of a team isn’t easy. And when it’s the IPL, its that much more difficult. Having captained the Mumbai Indians, one of the most talked-about franchises in the history of the IPL for 10 straight seasons, it will be a very special moment for Rohit Sharma as he steps out to toss today.
Rohit, by nature, is one of the most composed members of the team. Always sporting a friendly smile, he is a very different personality to, say, Virat Kohli. If Virat is passionate and aggressive, Rohit is composed and measured. And yet, there is a deep commitment to his cause, something that has only intensified in the last few years with Rohit rediscovering himself as a multi-format player. With captaincy in all forms coming his way, Rohit, always a team player, has more on his plate than he has ever had.
To understand Rohit the captain, we really need to understand the man’s mind. Only then can you make sense of some of his decisions. Clarity of though is one thing that defines him.
To give an example. Here’s how he planned a super over, something he had revealed in one of our many conversations on captaincy.
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“It is very different to batting at the start of an innings,” said Rohit. “Let me take you back to a super over we played against New Zealand in New Zealand when we toured in January-February 2020. In this game, I was moving a lot inside the crease in the first half of the super over and wasn’t able to connect the way I wanted to. That’s when I realised I needed to do things differently. My mind went back to a super over between the Mumbai Indians and the Gujarat Lions in the IPL. Aaron Finch and Brendon McCullum were batting for the Lions and I had handed the ball to Jasprit Bumrah, arguably the best super-over bowler in the world. With Jasprit, you know he is in control. However, it was somewhat different in the super over. Jasprit walked up to me and asked if he should bowl the wide yorker or a low full toss? This was Jasprit Bumrah, the best in the world, and even he was under pressure against two very good batsmen. When I thought back to this game, I said to myself that Tim Southee, who was bowling to me, would also be feeling the pressure for he knew I was capable of hitting big sixes. All I needed to do was stay calm and move as little as possible. If I stayed still, the chances of me connecting were that much more. And that’s exactly what happened. Southee bowled one in my zone, which I dispatched for a six and all of a sudden the tables had turned. Once I had hit a six off the fifth ball, I knew I would be able to close it out for India. All the pressure was now on Southee and it was more than likely he would make a mistake. He did, and I hit another six to finish things off.”
It was fascinating to hear him articulate his thought process. Here was someone who knew exactly what he was doing, and that’s what stands him apart as a cricketer and, may I say, captain. In every match he has captained so far, Rohit has been in control. Even in a loss, he is in charge of his ship. In fact, more so. He knows what is coming at him, and is mentally ready to deal with the challenge. That’s what he will bring to the table yet again in Sunday’s clash, to help his team deal with the pressures of a season that hasn’t gone to plan.
It was sometime in February 2011 that I first had a chance meeting with Rohit in Mumbai. He had failed to make the Indian team for the World Cup at home, and was understandably low. All he said was “I did not perform well enough, and I have to do much better”. Few words, but enough to reveal what was a moment of reckoning for the talented man. Talent, it must be said, did not get Rohit where he now belongs. Hard work did. For someone who started out as an off-spinner, to make a name as one of the world’s best isn’t simply the result of being talented. Ten years as captain doesn’t come easy. Rohit has managed to hone his batting and leadership skills, having put in hundreds of hours of hard work. He will easily rank as one of the best captains in IPL history.