Rohit Sharma has faced a lot of criticism for his captaincy in the red-ball format in the past. The Indian fans have compared him to the likes of Virat Kohli, from whom Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy in 2022.
Virat Kohli's aggression on the field fuelled the team to greater heights in Test cricket. Rohit Sharma, in public perception, is not as aggressive as his predecessor. However, former England International, Nasser Hussain lauded Rohit Sharma's captaincy in India's thumping win over England.
India recorded a 4-1 comeback win in the five-match Test series. The hosts were knocked down in the inaugural Test in Hyderabad, for which Rohit Sharma received criticism on his captaincy decisions. However, Hussain stated how Rohit Sharma evolved as captain, as the series progressed.
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What did Nasser Hussain comment on Rohit Sharma's captaincy against England?
In a conversation with former England teammate Michael Atherton on Sky Sports Cricket, former England captain Nasser Hussain praised Rohit Sharma for his captaincy in the Test series against England.
He said,
I think sometimes people confuse Rohit as a laid-back cricketer. There is a lot of skill, thought, and brilliance about his batting. I thought he had an excellent series as captain. He himself told that he has had to learn and adapt his own captaincy at times.
Hussain also shed light on how Rohit changed his tactics and rotated his bowling options quite effectively.
The Englishman added,
Earlier in the series, he didn't bring on (Ravi) Ashwin upfront. (Ben) Duckett would settle on the pitch, score 60-70 runs before Ashwin came on. But Rohit learnt from something he wasn't getting right. In cricket, there is a grey area, and you do not get things right, sometimes.
Hussain also talked about India coach Rahul Dravid and called the captain-coach duo ruthless.
When there is Bumrah and Siraj, with the new ball. The use of Ashwin in the second innings with the new ball, has been pivotal (from Rohit as a captain). Don't confuse Rohit with Virat's captaincy. Rohit is different than Virat. Both Rohit and Rahul, would are ruthless, and that loss in Hyderabad would've hurt him as the head coach.
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How did Rohit Sharma perform in the recent Test series against England?
| Tournament | Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s / 100s | High Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India vs England Test Series | 5 | 9 | 400 | 44.44 | 64.2 | 1 / 2 | 131 |
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