Rohit Sharma made a stunning return from a two-month injury layoff on Sunday as he notched up 60 to help India crush West Indies by six wickets in the ODI series opener in Ahmedabad. With his trademark pull shots and elegant stroke-play, the 34-year-old opener announced his arrival like he never left. The victory was special, given the fact that it was India's 1000th game in the ODI format and Rohit's first outing as full-time captain in the 50-over format.
Chasing a modest 176-run total on a sluggish wicket, India finished on 178-4 in only 28 overs with Suryakumar Yadav (34 not out) and debutant Deepak Hooda (26 not out) adding final touches. The comprehensive win marked the beginning of a new chapter for India as Rohit took charge of the white-ball team at a time when the team is rehearsing for two World Cups coming up.
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Rohit is usually a cool custodian who gives his players the freedom to decide what they want to do. His stint with Mumbai Indians (MI) is a testament to his captaincy skills. He's led the outfit to a record five IPL trophies and is the most successful captain in the history of the tournament.
Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha also weighed in on Rohit's leadership qualities and pointed out how his affable nature makes it easier for young players to find comfort. He also talked about Virat Kohli's in-your-face attitude and fierce character, which perhaps intimidates an introverted newbie in the team.
{{/usCountry}}Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha also weighed in on Rohit's leadership qualities and pointed out how his affable nature makes it easier for young players to find comfort. He also talked about Virat Kohli's in-your-face attitude and fierce character, which perhaps intimidates an introverted newbie in the team.
{{/usCountry}}"Kohli is so energetic and expressive that a player who doesn't have similar nature has problems in expressing himself... he doesn't get an idea about expressing his thoughts to the skipper in intense situations. But Rohit isn't too expressive. He knows that in such a high-intensity game, you will find players who are introverted. This is a major difference in the character or approach of Kohli & Rohit," said Ojha on Cricbuzz.
Ojha, who represented India in 24 Tests, 18 ODIs and 6 T20Is, also drew similarities between the captaincy styles of Rohit and Kohli, saying both the batting superstars have the same objective of helping Indian cricket scale new heights.
"Overall, their intensity to win games is the same but many players say that they are comfortable with Rohit. Any new player takes time to open up... and Rohit makes that easier despite not being expressive on the field. A shy player gets a bit intimidated by Virat's in-your-face attitude. But the bigger goal of both Virat and Rohit is to take Indian cricket forward," he further added.
Rohit will look to clinch the series when India and West Indies face in the second ODI, which will be played at the same venue on Wednesday. All ODI games will be played in a secure bubble at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, followed by three T20Is in Kolkata under similar restrictions.