Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has come to the defense of India’s captain Rohit Sharma, stating that criticism of his leadership has gone “overboard.” Recently, several ex-cricketers, including Sunil Gavaskar, voiced their concerns about Rohit’s captaincy during the World Test Championship (WTC 2023) final against Australia.

Harbhajan, who played alongside Rohit for India and Mumbai Indians, emphasized that cricket is a team sport and should not solely rely on the performance of one individual. He believes it is unfair to solely blame Rohit for the team’s underwhelming performance in the WTC final.

“I find that people are going a bit overboard… the way Rohit has been criticized. It is unfair to criticize Rohit alone, that he is not scoring runs, putting on weight, and not captaining well. I think he is a brilliant leader,” Harbhajan Singh stated in an interview with PTI.

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Harbhajan further highlighted the respect Rohit commands from his teammates, both in the Mumbai Indians dressing room and the Indian team. He emphasized the need to support Rohit and have faith in his abilities as a leader.

“Rohit must be getting support from BCCI. If you have the support from BCCI, you can work freely. Support must be there for Rohit like BCCI has given it to all its captains,” Harbhajan Singh added.

Historically, Indian captains have received backing from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), such as Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni. Harbhajan Singh expressed his hope that Rohit is receiving the same level of support from the BCCI. Rohit Sharma is set to lead the Indian team in the upcoming two-Test series and three ODIs against West Indies, commencing on July 12.

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As the team prepares for these matches, it is important to provide the necessary support and confidence to Rohit, allowing him to make the right decisions at the right time. Harbhajan’s remarks highlight the importance of backing the captain and fostering a supportive environment for the team’s success.