Irfan Pathan backed Rohit Sharma’s captaincy for the T20 World Cup despite criticism.
Though the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup was revealed on April 30th, Rohit Sharma’s captaincy was confirmed back in February. This decision, however, was not without some criticism. Some questioned the BCCI’s early commitment, especially after the Mumbai Indians replaced Sharma with Hardik Pandya as captain for the 2024 IPL season.
However, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan believes Sharma remains the best leader for the national team. In a statement on Star Sports, Pathan emphasised the importance of leadership skills, separate from player performance.
“As far as captaincy is concerned, he [Rohit Sharma] is the best leader you have. We always talk about the players, but leadership is a totally different thing,” Pathan said, as quoted by NDTV.
Pathan referenced the challenges faced by various IPL captains this season, highlighting the complexity of the role. He praised former captains MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli for their leadership qualities.
“Captaining a side in cricket still holds great value, and this is why we always talk highly about Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He has been rated highly by the entire world for the reason that it’s such a tough job, and he made it very simple. And after Mahendra Singh Dhoni, when Test matches came, Virat was your best captain ever, the way he took the team in front,” explained Irfan.
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Despite the recent IPL developments, Pathan believes Sharma is the best choice to lead India in the T20 World Cup. He acknowledged potential future leaders like Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Rishabh Pant, but sees Sharma as the current frontrunner.
“When it comes to recent white-ball cricket, you can’t look beyond Rohit Sharma. He is your best leader, even with the bench strength considered,” Pathan concluded.
Last Updated on May 3, 2024
