Rohit Sharma has never officially been a part of the Indian team’s leadership group, not even in limited-overs cricket, where he has established himself with consistent performances.
Now, after ten years in international cricket, Rohit has been named the vice-captain of the Indian team for their five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka that starts on August 20.
“It’s an honour to be appointed vice-captain. Ten years ago, I was only thinking about playing for India. Being vice-captain now feels really good,” Rohit said at a press conference in Pallekele, two days after India crushed Sri Lanka by an innings and 171 runs in the third Test to win the series 3-0.
Rohit isn’t new to captaincy. He brings along not just the experience of having led teams, but having done so with outstanding success. Since taking over from Ricky Ponting halfway through the 2013 season, Rohit has led Mumbai Indians to three IPL titles in five seasons.
“IPL is a completely different ball game and international cricket is completely different,” he said. “But, yes, the excitement and energy remain the same, so nothing changes too much.”
Rohit reflected on a decade-long international journey that has been filled with ups and downs. “It’s gone very fast, those 10 years. Of course, there have been ups and downs, but that’s how it is for any sportsman. That’s how it should be, you get to learn a lot more from ups and downs, it teaches you lot many things.
“Every day is a learning day. Today, I got to learn something playing those sweeps and reverse sweeps. That’s the opportunity I always wait for, to get on to the field and learn something. Initially, in limited-overs, I used to play too many shots at once. Now, I have realised it cannot be just about going out there and slogging every time, you’ve got to understand the situation and conditions. That is something I have learned these few years with the help of so many coaches around. I will continue to learn, you never stop learning. That’s the greatest part about this sport. There’s lot more to do and I look forward to it.”