Team India will start its new chapter under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma as the 34-year old batsman was handed over the reign of India’s ODI captaincy. The right-handed batter will now serve as India’s limited overs skipper and will start his journey as permanent ODI captain on January 19 against South Africa. Rohit reflected on his partnership with India coach Rahul Dravid and is looking forward to working with the veteran.
"Working with Rahul Bhai, even though it was only three-odd games, it was fantastic. We've seen how he's played his cricket; very tough and hard. And at the same time, there's a sense of relaxation as well. It's important to keep the atmosphere light and cheerful. When you're doing a job on the field that is so demanding, you need to have an atmosphere where people can relax and chill around," Rohit said in a video uploaded on the official website of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“It's only been a little while but, I've had so many interactions with him in the past about the game and about my game. It's good to have him on board and it will be very a fruitful (association) one for the future,” he added.
It will be an incredible moment for Rohit as he will take guard of the Indian ODI team permanently for the first time under Dravid. Interestingly, Rohit made his international debut in 2007 under the captaincy of Dravid. However, this will not be the first time that Rohit will take charge of the team. The six-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winner has previously captained the national side in 10 encounters, winning eight of those 10 matches.
Moreover, Rohit said that his predecessor Virat Kohli put the team in a situation where there is no looking back. Rohit said that Kohli always led from the front every time they stepped onto the park.
"He has put the team in a situation where there is no looking back. Those five years that he led the team, he led from the front every time we stepped onto the park. There was clear grit and determination to win every game. That was the message to the entire squad," Rohit opined.
The dynamic duo of Dravid and Rohit has already passed their first litmus test as they defeated New Zealand in the three-match T20I series 3-0. Rohit will return to the fold for the upcoming South Africa tour as he missed the Test series against the Kiwis. The Nagpur-born cricketer will also serve as the vice-captain of the Test team after Ajinkya Rahane was sacked from his position.
