Rohit Sharma has led India to yet another final in the 50-over format — ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and the team is due to play the summit clash on Sunday in Dubai vs New Zealand. If India manages to lift the trophy, this will be their first ODI title since their last Champions Trophy win in 2013, after they had failed to win the 2023 World Cup final.
Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli the ODI captain
That just establishes Rohit Sharma as one of the best ODI captains ever for India, but then there is a school of thought that Virat Kohli was a better ODI captain. Look, there is no doubt that Virat was certainly the better Test captain, but the perhaps it cannot be said — that he is better leader in ODIs than Rohit.
By no means, Virat is lesser of captain in the format — but then just the overall record seems to suggest that Rohit has produced slightly better results. If we compare the results — Virat Kohli, while leading India in ODIs, played 95 matches, and won 65 while losing 27. That means a win% of 68.42.
Rohit Slightly Ahead Due to ICC Finals
On the other hand, Rohit Sharma in 55 matches has won 41 and lost only 12. That is a remarkable win% of 74.54, the best by Indian thus far, except for a couple who have 100% win record in handful of matches they have led the country in. Breaking down this record further, their performance as captains in ICC trophies is of paramount importance
Let us talk about Virat first. He led India in the Champions Trophy of 2017 where the team lost in the final to Pakistan. In the 2019 World Cup, under him, the team lost in the semis to New Zealand. Then, coming to Rohit again, he led India to the final in 2023 World Cup, and now in the final of the Champions Trophy 2025. He has a very realistic chance of winning the trophy too, given the kind of form the team is in, with both batting and bowling firing at the moment.
As discussed earlier, there is hardly anything to choose between the two, but then the only distinguishing factor here will be — the number of ODI finals they have led India into — and Rohit is the winner there.
Editor's Pick
Cricket
Will Gambhir try Rishabh Pant or Nitish Reddy in IND vs SA 3rd ODI with series on the line?
Top Stories
