Could Rohit Sharma Ever Be Captain? It Is A Case Of Wishful Thinking

In the absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma recently led the Indian team in a 2-1 T20I series win over Bangladesh. After an initial hiccup of a loss in the first game, Rohit led from the front in the next two games to mount a comeback, with India fighting back.

A calm and composed figure on the field, he read the situation well and utilised his bowlers to good effect. One particular moment in the final game that stood out though. After India struggled to break off a partnership between Mohammad Naim and Mohammad Mithun, he brought back Deepak Chahar to get a wicket. And it worked as Mithun was caught at long off.

Rohit took this opportunity to further bolster the confidence of the team. He got the players in a huddle for a quick motivational chat to boost their confidence. It paid off! In no time, the Indian bowlers stunned the Bangladesh team. Rohit¡¯s leadership won him lots of plaudits.

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Rohit isn't new to captaincy, when he has been asked to step, he has always delivered the results. He was also the most successful captain in Indian Premier League, having earned the Mumbai Indians four titles, underlining his leadership skills. He has come into his own and lead the side with great distinction.

Rohit¡¯s style of captaincy has a lot of admirers within the current Indian team setup. As stand-in skipper, he has led the team from the front in the 2018 Asia Cup and the Nidahas Trophy T20 tournament in Sri Lanka. Most recently against Bangladesh. The way he marshalled his troupe in Virat Kohli¡¯s absence. Rohit was first handed over the mantle when Sri Lanka visited India in 2017 and Virat was on a break to get married.

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One can't help but think, if he was playing in another era to Virat Kohli, he could have led the Indian cricket team. It is a situation similar to the top footballers playing in the same era, for example Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

It is easy to see the similarities between Rohit Sharma and the captaincy of MS Dhoni - whose calm demeanour under pressure helped the Indian team sail through the many rough times. There is a striking similarity between Rohit and Dhoni. While not taking away any effort or praise for Kohli, but it is merely an assumption that if both played at different times, Rohit Sharma might have made a very good captain.

Kohli has impressed us since taking over from MS Dhoni. An aggressive and outspoken character, Kohli managed the hard task to replace one of India's most successful captain MS Dhoni. In the years since, Kohli has given a good account of himself and led from the front.

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Kohli has been proactive on the field and brave with his decision making. He led the team to the finals of the Champions Trophy in 2017, to the Asia Cup win in 2018, and also to the finals of 2019 World Cup. The historic Test Series win in Australia has probably been the highlight of his captaincy so far. The series wins against West Indies and Sri Lanka, have also been a high point for the Indian team under his leadership.

But like any good leader along with huge number of fans, he does have those who doubt his skills. There has been some talk about the former players and fans alike, about handing the ODI captaincy to Rohit Sharma. These were always murmurs, but after India were eliminated in the semifinal of the World Cup this year, the demand gathered momentum. The suggestion seems logical.

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While Kohli is an aggressive leader, Rohit is calmer under pressure. The talk of split-captaincy -- having Kohli as Test captain and Rohit as ODI skipper has never materialised into action. It is a case of what if Rohit played in a different era, he would have been a leader that Indian team will never have. He is 32, and Kohli is 31. It would be very surprising if Rohit gets the reigns in the near future, while both are still playing. It is just wishful thinking about seeing Rohit as the Indian captain.

Though there is always talk, the neutrals will agree - India has a very good side under Kohli, and Rohit has been one of the most reliable players in the side.