India's ODI captain Rohit Sharma isn't just celebrated for being one of the most astute minds and influential leaders in Indian cricket, but also for backing young talent and standing by his team through difficult times. This very quality of Rohit Sharma has cemented his reputation as a great captain. As the veteran cricketer prepares for the upcoming Australia tour, his former Mumbai Indians teammate, Rahul Chahar, has narrated an incident from his time with the Paltans when Rohit’s words worked wonders for him when he was having a tough outing with the ball.
Rahul Chahar on Rohit Sharma's morale-boosting gesture
During their time together, MI were a dominant force in the Indian Premier League. The team’s batting line-up, featuring the likes of Rohit, Quinton de Kock, and Suryakumar Yadav, was formidable. Rahul Chahar was their primary spinner before he later moved to Punjab Kings.
Chahar recounted an incident where Rohit’s actions significantly boosted his morale. The wrist-spinner recalled having a particularly bad day on the field, where he conceded 30 runs in just two overs. Despite this poor performance, Rohit, who was captain at the time, remained calm and offered him some truly encouraging words.
"There is one incident I can never forget in life. It was our semifinal against Delhi in IPL. I had gone for around 30 runs in 2 overs & I was walking with my head down. Rohit bhaiya held my hand & told, 'Walk ahead, you lead the team," Chahar told Filmygyan.
Chahar had a tough outing against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020. In that match, he gave up 35 runs in just two overs and failed to take a wicket. Despite his struggles, MI went on to win the game by 57 runs.
The 266-year-old was a part of MI squad for three seasons, from 2019 to 2021. During his time with the franchise, he won two IPL titles in 2019 and 2020. He played 39 matches for the team and took 41 wickets.
For Chahar, however, his IPL career has not been as successful since he left MI. The right-arm spinner played in only one game during IPL 2025 for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). His future with SRH remains uncertain, and it will be interesting to see if he is retained for the next season.