Rohit Sharma solidified his place in the annals of Indian cricket history by guiding the Men in Blue to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup earlier this year. As the 37-year-old captain, Sharma led the Indian cricket team to claim the title after a 17-year drought, putting an end to an 11-year wait for an ICC trophy.
Sharma now joins the esteemed company of Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni as one of only three Indian captains to lead their team to triumph in an ICC tournament. Kapil Dev famously led the team to victory in the 1983 World Cup, while MS Dhoni achieved success in the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy.
Reflecting on this historic achievement, Rohit Sharma expressed his vision of transforming the team and credited his success to his three pillars of support since taking on the role of captain: former head coach Rahul Dravid, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
"It was my dream to transform this team and not worry too much about the stats, the results, to make sure that we create that environment where people can go out there and play freely without thinking too much. That is what was required. I got a lot of help from my three pillars, who are actually Mr Jay Shah, Mr Rahul Dravid (and the) chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar. That was very critical for me to do what I did and obviously not to forget the players, who came in at different points in time and helped the team to achieve what we achieved," said Rohit at the CEAT Cricket Awards in Mumbai as quoted by PTI.
In November 2021, Rohit Sharma was appointed as the captain of India's T20I team following Virat Kohli's resignation. Just a few months later, he assumed leadership of the team across all three formats. Unfortunately, Rohit's debut as captain in an ICC tournament was marred by a devastating 10-wicket loss to England in the semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup. The disappointment continued as India was soundly defeated by Australia in the 2023 WTC final.
Despite these setbacks, Rohit Sharma showcased exceptional leadership skills by guiding India to the final of the 2023 Cricket World Cup with an impressive winning streak of 10 consecutive matches. However, the team faced a heartbreaking defeat in the final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Rohit Sharma made history by becoming the first captain to lead India to an unbeaten victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, with the team winning seven matches and one game against Canada being washed out. Jasprit Bumrah was named the Player of the Tournament for his outstanding performance, claiming 15 wickets in eight games. In the final, Virat Kohli was awarded the Player of the Match for his exceptional contribution. Additionally, Hardik Pandya emerged as a standout performer for the team, delivering consistent performances with both bat and ball.
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