Rohit Sharma’s captaincy started when Virat Kohli was dropped three years ago. The biggest moment perhaps came toward the end of 2021 when Kohli was dropped off the captaincy amid differences with the president of the BCCI, Sourav Ganguly. It escalated after India’s defeat in a Test series to South Africa, and Kohli resigned from captaincy in all formats. The team needed a new captain with the ODI World Cup looming over India’s head.
The BCCI then took up the responsibility and appointed Rohit Sharma as the new captain. After much hesitation, in light of the concerns of handling all formats alongside his IPL career, he finally agreed. On the receiving end of much criticism for his decision, Ganguly did not budge, as Kohli was popular.
Sourav Ganguly’s Impact Beyond the Field
This foresight paid off when, under Rohit, India won the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and ended 11 years of waiting for ICC titles. As his tenure came to an end, Ganguly looked back, satisfied, but pointed out the criticism he had received.
He said:
Now these same people do not remember who made Rohit Sharma the captain.
He also had an impact on coaching decisions beyond captaincy. He played a huge role in seeking out the services of head coach Rahul Dravid, coming after Ravi Shastri. Together, team Rohit-Dravid did what their predecessors couldn’t: win an ICC title—a big milestone for Indian cricket. India secured this win after a long wait of 11 years. His tenure was marked by vision and relentless pursuit, even when public scrutiny mounted.
Most of his decisions, from selecting captains to choosing coaches, reshaped the Indian cricketing landscape and thus earned international success under Rohit Sharma. It was Ganguly’s calls at the helm when Indian cricket was going through tumultuous times; his faith in the leadership capabilities of Rohit Sharma was repaid with the victory in the T20 World Cup, and all the critics were silenced, vindicating his vision for the team.
Evolution of Indian Cricket Under Rohit Sharma
Under Rohit Sharma, the brand of cricket India played changed dramatically. Through his leadership, strategy, and fitting into the team, he made things competitive once again on the world stage. He announces his retirement after securing historic wins. Three senior players retired from the T20I. It included Virat, Rohit, and Ravindra Jadeja. They just retired from the T20I, the shortest format of cricket. Rohit Sharma played a very crucial role in the cricket team. He is retired only from the T20I but he is available for another format. Such a great career by Rohit. An amazing performance in his cricket journey.
Ganguly has left behind a legacy not about some individual choices but of a certain vision that propelled Indian cricket. His resolute leadership, underpinned by resilience and a sense of foresight, had set the stage for success under future captains and coaches. A Story of Vision and Leadership in Indian Cricket Looking back, bold decisions were characteristic of Sourav Ganguly’s time at the helm as BCCI president, and that changed the course of Indian cricket.
It was under Ganguly that the correct call was made in picking Rohit Sharma as skipper, along with getting Rahul Dravid on board as coach. Hence, the deep vision has laid the groundwork for India’s rise in world cricket. The legacy of that visionary leader with whom understanding the growth and triumphs of modern Indian cricket became impossible.
