India created history in the T20 World Cup 2024 as they became the first team to win the competition staying undefeated. The Men in Blue defeated South Africa in the Final to lift the coveted trophy in Barbados on Saturday.
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Rohit Sharma became the first captain after MS Dhoni to win an ICC trophy for India, let alone the T20 World Cup. He came close to lifting the ODI World Cup in 2023 but were defied by the mighty Australians in the Final in Ahmedabad.
Despite the loss and heartbreak, the Indian team has bounced back in style under Rohit’s leadership to lift the trophy in the West Indies. The win also serves as a fairytale ending for head coach Rahul Dravid who steps down from the post after being in charge for three long years.
Is Rohit emulating MS Dhoni's captaincy legacy?
India and Rohit’s monumental win at Barbados is truly a historic achievement and has inadvertently sparked comparisons with the legendary captain, MS Dhoni. It was Dhoni under whom India last won a major ICC trophy before Rohit finally broke the 11-year-long wait for the Indian fans.
Both Dhoni and Rohit have created a legacy of their own in the IPL, winning five titles each with Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians respectively. They both now also have a T20 World Cup to their name. They could also have been equal in terms of the ODI World Cup had India not lost to Pat Cummins’ Australia in the 2023 Final.
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It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Rohit is as good a T20 captain as Dhoni if not better. But when it comes down to the longer format of the white ball game, Dhoni has the upper hand since he has won both the ODI World Cup in 2011 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. Dhoni still remains the only captain to have won all three white ball ICC trophies.
Rohit will have a chance to get close if India manage to pull off a victory in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which is to be held in Pakistan, but will have to wait until 2027 to get a shot at the ODI World Cup once again.
Rohit would be 40 though when the World Cup comes around once again and to see him don the Indian colours come 2027 is, realistically speaking, a very very long shot.
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