Former Indian left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan expressed confidence in Rohit Sharma’s leadership, describing him as a captain who “walks the talk.” With the upcoming five-Test series against England, Zaheer believes Rohit will make substantial contributions both as a captain and a batsman.
“Everyone knows the influence and impact that Rohit has had on the whole group,” Zaheer Khan declared in an interview with JioCinema. With the first Test set to begin in Hyderabad on January 25th, expectations are high for India to reclaim the Anthony De Mello Trophy after losing it on English soil in 2021.
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Zaheer Khan highlights Rohit’s exceptional communication skills as a key element of his leadership style. “He talks about communication. He gives enough confidence to every player and brings out the best in them. That has been the hallmark of his captaincy and he leads from the front as seen in the World Cup. He walks the talk. When you have a leader walking the talk, it gives you better efficiency within the whole group. So, I think he’s a proven leader.”
Rohit’s transformation as an opener in Tests has been remarkable, achieving notable success even in challenging conditions. Zaheer Khan points to his exceptional performance in England and Chennai as evidence of his adaptability.
“You’ve seen him adapt nicely in England when it came to leaving the ball. He said that he had worked a lot on it,” Zaheer Khan stated. “You’ve seen that in Chennai when he played a match-defining knock. Winning the toss, batting first and getting the opposition completely out in the first innings and being instrumental in that, is something which gives satisfaction to any player playing at the highest level.”
However, the five-Test series presents a unique challenge, demanding strategic planning and player rotation. Zaheer Khan believes Rohit, along with coach Rahul Dravid and the selectors, will need to carefully manage resources to extract the maximum impact from each individual.
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“Both teams will be looking to do that because a five-Test series brings its own challenges and you got to be staying on top of that tactically, planning about the resources who are more useful in which conditions and get the maximum impact from every individual,” he explained.
With the series opener just around the corner, anticipation is bubbling as Rohit Sharma prepares to lead India against England. His journey as a Test opener has been nothing short of extraordinary, and Zaheer’s words serve as a powerful endorsement of his leadership skills and ability to perform under pressure.
