In a stellar display of leadership, Rohit Sharma has been praised for guiding India to an impeccable eight wins from eight matches, securing a spot in the World Cup semi-finals. With their last league match against the Netherlands in Bengaluru on Sunday, India aims to maintain their unbeaten streak in the tournament.
Under Rohit's captaincy, India achieved notable victories over arch-rivals Pakistan, defending champions England, and most recently, South Africa. The 36-year-old captain, potentially in his last World Cup alongside Virat Kohli, has amassed 442 runs, including a century, at a formidable strike rate of 122.77.
Coach Rahul Dravid commended Rohit's leadership, stating, "He's been fantastic in his batting, the leadership that he's shown, and taking on the game, leading from the front." Dravid highlighted Rohit's pivotal contributions, such as his 131 against Afghanistan, 86 in the win over Pakistan, and crucial 87 in a low-scoring encounter against England.
Rohit took over the captaincy from Kohli in 2021, and India has flourished under his leadership. Despite covering an extensive 12,000km (7,500 miles) during their World Cup journey, the team has consistently delivered excellent performances across all venues.
"We've travelled the length and breadth of this country and played in eight venues. This is our ninth," said Dravid. "I think what this team has done really well is it has represented India fantastically. It's played a really good brand of cricket. We know we have nine boxes to tick, and we've ticked eight."
As the cricket-crazy nation of 1.4 billion people hopes to end its world title drought, the Netherlands has emerged as a formidable opponent in the 10-team tournament. Dravid acknowledged the impact of teams like the Netherlands, stating, "It's quite inspiring to see that in spite of the challenges they face, they're able to compete at this level."
Commenting on the Angelo Mathews "timed out" dismissal, Dravid emphasised the need for understanding, saying, "You can't blame somebody for following it because you put that in place, and you have to give scope for that level of understanding of somebody."
With anticipation building for India's performance in the semi-finals, Rohit Sharma's captaincy and the team's stellar form have garnered widespread acclaim, keeping cricket enthusiasts on the edge of their seats.
