Rohit Sharma called the 'Most Underrated' white-ball captain by legendary Australian skipper

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has hailed Rohit Sharma as one of the most underrated white-ball captains in modern cricket. Clarke lauded Rohit Sharma’s leadership and batting brilliance after the Indian star’s unbeaten century in the final ODI against Australia in Sydney on October 25.

Rohit, who led India to the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy, produced a vintage performance, smashing 121 runs off 125 balls to guide India to a dominant nine-wicket win over Australia in the third and final ODI as the touring side avoided a whitewash.

Michael Clarke calls Rohit Sharma the most Underrated white-ball captain

However, India lost the three-match ODI series 1-2 to Australia, but the former Indian skipper won both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards. Ahead of the T20I series, Clarke highlighted how Rohit’s leadership has not gotten the appreciation that he deserves.

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The former Australian captain called Rohit Sharma one of the most effective short-format captains India has ever had. He also emphasized Rohit’s adaptability and success in challenging overseas conditions like Australia, which demands a completely different approach from subcontinental pitches.

Michael Clarke said on The Beyond23 Cricket Podcast: “What a way for both players to leave the Australian shores. I've always loved the way Rohit plays, and he has been a very good player in Australian conditions, which are totally opposite to India. His captaincy is underrated. He was a very, very good short-form captain for India. And he's one of the best white-ball players to have played. He's definitely in that conversation.”

Michael Clarke hails Virat Kohli as the best ODI cricketer

Meanwhile, Clarke also lauded Virat Kohli, describing him as one of the greatest ODI players of the modern era. After struggling in the first two games with consecutive ducks, Kohli bounced back in style with a composed 74 not out off 81 balls.

The former Indian captain also stitched an unbeaten 168-run stand with Rohit to take India to a commanding win over Australia in Sydney.

The former Australian batter also felt India had gotten the conditions like Sydney earlier in the ODI series, the outcome could have been very different. He added, “Again, Virat is the best ODI cricketer that I've seen, given the number of games he has won for his team.”

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Michael Clarke backs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for ICC World Cup 2027

Clarke believes that both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli could still feature in the ICC World Cup 2027 if they continue their current form. He pointed out that their experience in handling big-match pressure would be invaluable for India, calling them India’s heartbeat in white-ball cricket.

He signed off by saying, “If they are still making runs and winning games for their team, I think the next World Cup is realistic for both of them. It's a World Cup as well, where there is maximum pressure, and they know how to win, and that's where you need your senior players to handle those pressure moments. Even if those guys made no runs and they qualified for the semis, I would be backing those two to be the leading run-scorers in the semi-final and the final.”