Good Things Happen To Good People: Rohit Sharma Opens Up On Replacing Virat Kohli As India Captain

Rohit Sharma opened up about replacing Virat Kohli as India captain Photo : AP

KEY HIGHLIGHTS Rohit Sharma opened up about replacing Virat Kohli as India captain

Kohli led India for seven years

Rohit took over the top job in 2021

Rohit Sharma 's ascent to captaincy proved to be the subject of major controversy as it came at the expense of Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli . While Kohli resigned from the top job on his own will in T20 cricket post the 2021 T20 World Cup, his removal as ODI captain came against his choice in December 2021.

Kohli was visibly displeasing at the decision, as he had made his intention to remain as ODI and Test captain crystal clear. This led to a war of words between Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI ) President Sourav Ganguly, who stated that they wanted a captain for white-ball cricket, and Kohli was asked to remain the skipper in the shortest format too. The batting legend denied any such request.

Later, Kohli resigned as India's test captain after a series against South Africa in January 2022, which meant Rohit became the all-format captain of the national team

On being asked about replacing a player of Kohli's stature, Rohit stated that captaining the country is the biggest honour one can get. The 37-year-old stated that his aim was to take the team forward from where all the great captains had achieved and the legacy they set.

"Captaining your country is the biggest honor that you can have and for me I never thought that this will arrive where I'll be captaining one day but yeah I mean people say good things happen to good people. But no I was very fortunate to get that opportunity you know and I knew the past captains who have had the impact in Indian cricket and the kind of Legacy they've left as well we have had so many great captains so yeah just taking from where these guys left making sure that the team heads in the right direction," said Rohit in an interaction on Dubai Eye 103.8's Youtube channel.

Rohit opened about the role of analytics in cricket and how important it is as a captain and mentioned that buidling a culture where team's goal instead of personal milestones are given priority was his biggest challenge when he took over the captaincy.

"You mentioned about today you know data plays such an important part in in sport just to analyze the opposition just to analyze your own game as well you know like you you can see your strength but there is a weakness that the opposition is watching as well well so that is how data is data is just not for your own benefit it is for the sporting countries to benefit from and every sport that has been played data plays a huge part.

"I mean for me when I took over I just wanted everyone to drive in one direction that's how the team sport should be played it's not about personal milestone it's not about one or two or three individual it is about what all 11 of us can bring to the table and that's how you achieve the team's goal you can achieve personal goals individual goals by setting your individual goals but I think when you want to achieve the team's goal which is to go and hold that big trophy I think everyone needs to drive in that One Direction and that was my biggest challenge when I took over," Rohit added.

Despite the controversy, Rohit and Virat evidently share a close relationship on the field and are seen helping each other through decisions while both have publically praised each other multiple times.

Kohli had captained India in Test cricket from January 2015 to 2022 while taking over the top job in white-ball cricket in January 2017 and stayed in the role till November 2021