About four weeks ago, Ravichandran Ashwin shared his thoughts on the contrasting captaincy styles of three iconic Indian cricket captains—MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma. Let’s dive into what the legendary off-spinner had to say, and along with that, we’ll briefly analyze the captaincy stints of each of these cricketing giants, starting with the current captain of the Indian team—Rohit Sharma.
Rohit Sharma-
Rohit Sharma, India’s current captain in both ODI and Test formats, has enjoyed a highly successful tenure. While he had captained the team sporadically before, he was officially named the white-ball captain in 2021 and took over as Test captain in 2022. Under his leadership, India reached the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-finals, the 2023 WTC Final, and the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup final, though they were beaten by Australia in both major finals. However, his crowning achievement came in June 2024, when he led India to their first T20 World Cup victory in 17 years, solidifying his reputation as one of the most successful Indian captains.
Ashwin highlighted that Rohit’s strength lies in his ability to stay relaxed under pressure, making calculated decisions without letting emotions get in the way. Under Rohit’s leadership, India has seen consistent performances, especially in limited-overs cricket, and he has earned a reputation for winning key tournaments with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. His inclusive leadership style empowers his players, and his knack for making strategic bowling changes has been widely lauded.
According to Ravichandran Ashwin-
“2-3 things are nice about Rohit’s captaincy. He always keeps the environment of the team light. He makes an effort to keep it light. And he stays very balanced and tactically he is strong. Both Dhoni and Virat were also tactically strong but Rohit works more on the tactics,” said Ashwin in an interview with Vimal Kumar.
“If any big match or series is coming up, Rohit sits with the analytics team and coaches and prepares for it, like what’s the weakness of a particular batsman, what’s the plan of a bowler. That’s his strength but he always keeps the environment of the team light and backs the players. If he selects a player in the XI, he backs them 100%. I have played most of my career with these three captains,” he added.
Virat Kohli:
Virat Kohli, renowned for his fierce and passionate leadership, became India’s vice-captain for the first time during the 2012 Asia Cup, where India didn’t reach the final. Despite this, Kohli showcased his brilliance, scoring a remarkable 183 against Pakistan, his highest ODI score. He took over as Test captain in December 2014 following MS Dhoni’s sudden retirement, and in 2017, he was appointed as the full-time captain across all formats.
Under Kohli’s leadership, India reached the 2017 Champions Trophy Final, the 2019 World Cup semi-finals, and the 2021 World Test Championship Final. He also led India to a historic series win in Australia, clinching the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Aussie soil for the first time in 70 years. However, Kohli’s tenure as captain is often seen as incomplete, as he never won an ICC Trophy, a point frequently mentioned by critics.
Ashwin acknowledged Kohli’s fiery passion and intensity on the field, traits that drove the Indian team to remarkable success, especially in Test cricket. Under Kohli, India reached the top of the ICC Test rankings and won key overseas series, breaking long-standing barriers. His leadership emphasized fitness, aggression, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Kohli’s ability to inspire his teammates to give their all, coupled with his own exceptional performances, made him a standout leader. However, his approach also brought a more emotionally charged atmosphere to the team, which worked well in Tests but sometimes faced challenges in the limited-overs format.
According to Ravichandran Ashwin-
“About Virat, he inspires. He sets an example by doing and achieving himself; he leads from the front. What he expects from the team, he shows by doing it himself.”
MS Dhoni:
MS Dhoni, famously known as “Captain Cool,” is regarded as the greatest captain in Indian cricket history and the only one to win all three major ICC trophies: the ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy, and ICC T20 World Cup. Dhoni began his captaincy journey in the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup at the age of 26, leading India to victory in the inaugural edition. In 2008, he became the Test captain, and in 2009, his team won a historic tour against New Zealand. The years 2010 and 2011 were monumental, not only for India but for Dhoni’s IPL franchise, Chennai Super Kings (CSK). During these two years, Dhoni secured seven major trophies, including the Asia Cup, the ICC Test Mace, two IPL titles, and two Champions League T20 titles. Most notably, he led India to victory in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, making India the first team to win the tournament at home.
Although 2012 was a challenging year, Dhoni bounced back in 2013, winning the ICC Champions Trophy, thus becoming the only captain to win all three ICC trophies. Under his leadership, India reached the finals of the 2014 ICC T20 World Cup, and in the same year, Dhoni led CSK to their second Champions League T20 title. India also reached the semi-finals of both the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2016 T20 World Cup. His final trophy as India’s captain came in 2016 when India won the Asia Cup. With five IPL titles with CSK, Dhoni shares the record for the most IPL titles by a captain, along with Rohit Sharma. Dhoni’s legacy is cemented as one of the greatest and most successful captains in the world of cricket.
Ashwin reflected on the leadership of MS Dhoni, arguably India’s most successful captain. Dhoni’s calm and composed style became his hallmark. His ability to make smart, instinctive decisions, particularly under pressure, earned him the nickname “Captain Cool.” Dhoni’s trust in his bowlers, his ability to read the game, and his calm approach made him a successful leader in all formats. Under Dhoni, India won multiple ICC trophies, including the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy, cementing his legacy as one of the best captains in the history of the game.
According to Ravichandran Ashwin-
The thing that I really liked about MS Dhoni’s captaincy was the stability that he gave to the players. He gave Ravindra Jadeja plenty of opportunities as a finisher to establish himself. Jadeja benefitted from those chances and he has become a fine allrounder today. If Dhoni identifies a talent then he backs him and provides him stability,” he said.
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