'Rohit Sharma is a shrewd tactician,' says former Indian batting coach Rathour

New Delhi, August 19

Former India men's batting coach Vikram Rathour lauded skipper Rohit Sharma's leadership abilities. He said the right-handed batter never forgets his on-field gameplan, even if he does not remember whether he elected to bat or bowl at the toss.

Since becoming the India captain after Virat Kohli's tenure at the helm ended, Rohit has led India to winning the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup and the 2023 Men's Asia Cup, apart from runners-up finishes in the 2023 World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup.

“He might forget whether he has decided to bat or bowl. He may also have a phone and iPad in the team bus; however, he never forgets his game plan. He is a shrewd tactician,” Rathour said in an episode of the ‘Find a Way with Taruwar Kohli’ podcast.

Speaking about Rohit's tactical decisions in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa at Barbados, Rathour said, “He is a good captain. In the T20 World Cup final, he finished Bumrah's over early. A lot of people must have questioned that decision; however, that decision put us in a situation where 16 runs were needed in the last over, which led to our win.”

He added, “His tactical decisions on the field are spot on. It surprises you as a coach too.”

Rathour, a former India batter who also served previously as a senior men's selection committee member, admitted he has not come across a captain who is as invested in the game as Rohit.

He said, “He is a quality batsman, a phenomenal player. I think he understands his game really well. He has a clear gameplan, and as a leader, you can see him lead from the front. As a captain, you have to lead by example, and he has done that since becoming captain.”

Rathour said, “He is a players’ captain, and he invests in his players heavily.”

He added, “I have never seen a captain who is so invested in team meetings and strategies.” He spends a lot of time on the team's strategy. He wants to sit with the bowlers and batters to try and understand their thought process.