Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir, who was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team, has commended India’s captain Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership and selfless commitment to the sport. However, his remarks have ignited a discussion, with some questioning whether Gambhir was indirectly taking a dig at Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni while lauding Rohit’s qualities.
During a pre-match show on Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir praised Rohit Sharma for his selfless attitude. He highlighted that Rohit’s focus on team achievements, rather than personal milestones like centuries, has enabled him to excel as a dynamic top-order batsman for India. Although Rohit could have achieved “40-45 hundreds” by this point, he has opted to prioritize the success of the team over his own individual accomplishments.
“Rohit Sharma would have got 40-45 hundreds by now, but he is not obsessed with hundreds. Only a selfless leader does it first what he wants from the team. If you want a positive batting mindset from the team, the you got to do it first. That is called leading from the front. No amount of PR or marketing would get you that,” Gambhir said.
“You have to do it yourself and that is what Rohit Sharma has done in this World Cup. His average may not say that or his run tally might place him in the 5th or the 10th spot, but that doesn’t matter. But if you want to lift that trophy on November 19, that is should be your aim. Now you have to decide whether you want to score a hundred or win the World Cup,” he said,” he further said.
Gautam Gambhir’s praise of Rohit Sharma: A swipe at Kohli and Dhoni?
Yet, Gautam Gambhir’s praise for Rohit Sharma appears to be a subtle dig at both MS Dhoni and particularly Virat Kohli in the eyes of many. Kohli is approaching an extraordinary 50th century in One-Day Internationals, with 48 centuries already to his name. While Rohit’s selfless approach is evident, it does raise concerns about Kohli’s relentless chase of personal records.
In the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023, Rohit Sharma’s unwavering form and fearless style of batting have played a pivotal role in India’s unbeaten streak. His impressive innings of 87 runs against England is a perfect illustration of his immense value as a leader and a batter. Thus far in the ongoing World Cup, he has accumulated a total of 398 runs in six innings, featuring a century and three half-centuries.
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