“If He Has Confidence In You…”: India Pacer Describes Rohit Sharma’s Captaincy

Rohit Sharma took over as India’s full-time T20I captain in the three-match T20 series against New Zealand at home late last year. Rohit was later appointed as India’s full-time white-ball captain, replacing Virat Kohli as skipper in ODIs as well. During the series against New Zealand, pacer Harshal Patel made his international debut for India. Harshal made his debut in the second T20I and featured in the third and final T20I as well, picking four wickets in the two matches to help India to a 3-0 series win.

Harshal said Rohit as a captain gives the bowler ample freedom. “He [Rohit Sharma] will basically give you the ball and if he has confidence in you, he will not tell you about what to do. ‘You know what to do, just go and do it’. So, he is that kind of a captain and I really enjoy playing under those kinds of captains,” Harshal told Star Sports’ show ‘Follow The Blues’.

“I have my plans- Plan A, B, C so even when I get hit, I know what to do. I don’t like a lot of outside input and he fits exactly into that kind of personality as a captain. He is very relaxed and he gives you the freedom.”

Asked what India head coach Rahul Dravid told him before his international debut, Harshal said, “He told me, ‘We know that you are a very confident bowler. We know that what you want to do, what you can do and cannot do. I just want you to go out there, express yourself and enjoy the moment and we are going to back you, no matter what.'”