Rohit Sharma keeps his own batsmen in the firing line ahead of the 3rd Test vs England

Ahead of the all-important 3rd of the 5-match Test series against England at Rajkot on February 15th, team India captain Rohit Sharma emphasized on the importance of equal contribution from each player regardless of their roles and regardless of how many balls they face in a recent Leo1, Mastercard & NSDL event held in Mumbai.

Rohit Sharma was in his brand new avatar with a fresh look as he looks set to lead his side towards consecutive victories in the Test series to double their lead over the visitors. However, his performance has been a matter of concern for the Indian team as he has departed for scores of 24, 39, 14, and 13 across 4 innings in Hyderabad and Vishakhapatnam.

The 36-year-old has been lucky enough for the fact that his negated performances haven’t negatively impacted the team as players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Jasprit Bumrah among others have all stood up for the task and their performance as a collective is why the hosts are still very much alive in this series and are on course to hopefully claim another red-ball series win at home.

This is exactly what Rohit Sharma emphasized on while speaking during the event in Mumbai. He would first shed light on his thought process as the skipper how it’s important to back youngsters through rough phases and how he makes his players feel valued through various situations.

“As a leader, it’s crucial to instill confidence in players and make them feel valued regardless of their role in the team. Each player’s contribution is essential to the team’s success, whether they play ten balls at No. 6 or 7.” – Rohit said during the Mastercard event. 

His captaincy was up for debate and major criticism following the conclusion of the 1st Test in Hyderabad where India lost in a dramatic turn of events by 28 runs, that too from a situation where a win was not looking that distant. Former cricketers and pundits slammed him for not being proactive enough with his bowling and field changes but he slapped back emphatically in the 2nd Test.

“Interact With Players Individually Understand Their Concerns”, Rohit Sharma On His Leadership Mantra

Rohit Sharma went on to further reveal his leadership mantra and how he gives a pat on the back to a player who needs it. For him building trust and confidence within the group is very important, something that has indeed helped him claim 5 Indian Premier League titles with the Mumbai Indians.

He concluded by giving his example of how he prepares himself “rigorously” for challenges in stiff conditions and his secret of bolstering self-belief which has seen him score 46 Centuries across formats in 469 matches.

“I make it a point to interact with players individually, understand their concerns and provide reassurance. Building trust and confidence is paramount, especially in challenging situations. Confidence stems from rigorous preparation and mastering skills. I thrive on the challenge of starting innings in adverse conditions and rely on extensive training to bolster my self-belief.”