Listen to the youngsters of the Indian cricket team, and they’ll all have one thing to say. “Rohit Sharma bhaiya backs us,” “he is like our older brother,” “he never lets us feel out of place,” “he lets us express ourselves,” and many other examples. This narrative about Rohit being an inspirational leader and a player’s captain has taken Indian cricket by storm.

Rohit Sharma: The older brother

Rohit Sharma’s leadership style is often compared to that of an older brother. He is known for his supportive nature, always standing by the young players and helping them navigate the pressures of international cricket. This support is not just limited to words of encouragement but extends to creating an environment where young players feel valued and understood.

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Creating a Positive Environment

Rohit has a unique ability to foster a sense of belonging among the team members. He encourages players to express themselves on the field, ensuring they play without fear of failure. This approach has been instrumental in the development of many young talents, as they can perform freely, knowing they have their captain’s backing.

Guiding the Not-So-Young players

Rohit Sharma’s influence is not limited to the youngsters alone. He has also played a significant role in guiding the not-so-young players, such as Nitish Rana. Incidentally, it was under Rohit’s captaincy at Mumbai Indians that Rana started his IPL career in 2013. Despite Rana making it big only when he joined the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2018, Rohit’s impact on his career has been everlasting.

Rohit’s advice to Rana

During the IPL 2023, when Rana was struggling as the captain of KKR, Rohit’s advice changed his thought process. Rohit simplified the concept of captaincy for Rana, emphasizing that it is more about managing players and less about overcomplicating strategies. This advice helped Rana regain his confidence and focus on his performance.

“Last year, when I was captaining, I went up to Rohit bhaiya. We won two matches then lost two matches. He said ‘Nitish, what do you think? What is captaincy?’ I was about to say something. Actually. I wanted to speak my heart out, but Rohit bhaiya didn’t let me. He said captaincy is nothing. Just changing bowlers, moving fielders from one position to another… it’s not captaincy,” Rana said on the TRS Clips.

Rohit’s philosophy on captaincy

Rohit’s philosophy on captaincy revolves around simplicity and process. He believes that as long as the results are in favor, the captaincy is effective. He encourages his players to focus on their processes and back themselves, reducing the complexity of leadership and making it more approachable.

“He said all that to calm me down and ease me up. He made me understand ‘As long as the result is in your favour, you’re sorted. The day things don’t go well, no matter how good you captain, no one will talk about you. So, you concentrate on your process and back yourself. The more you try to complicate, it’ll be that tough and the more you keep it simple, the easier it’ll be.'”

Nitish Rana’s performance in IPL 2023

Despite KKR’s overall struggles in IPL 2023, Nitish Rana managed to end the season with his best IPL tally, scoring 413 runs at an average of 31.77. Rohit’s guidance played a crucial role in helping Rana maintain his form and contribute significantly to the team’s efforts.