NEW DELHI: Star Indian pacer Mohammed Shami recently heaped praise on Rohit Sharma‘s leadership, underscoring the captain’s ability to give players freedom and recognize their potential in different situations.
Shami noted that Rohit’s extensive experience playing with his teammates allows him to fully understand each player’s strengths and how to use them effectively.
“I hadn’t played much under Rohit before, but I saw it clearly during the World Cup.A captain needs to give players freedom, and Rohit provides that. As a captain, you must know which player can perform best in a given situation, and he understands that well since he’s played with everyone for so long and knows their abilities. Woh acchi tarike se janta hai kis player se kaab nikalna hai (He knows exactly when to get the best out of each player),” Shami told Sports Tak.
Meanwhile, Rohit announced his retirement from T20 internationals after India’s World Cup win, stating it was the perfect moment to step away from the format.
He expressed pride in his journey, noting how he began his career in T20 cricket and always dreamed of lifting the trophy.
With five centuries and 4,231 runs, Rohit left as the leading run-scorer in T20Is, cementing his legacy with two T20 World Cup wins—first in 2007 and again in 2024 as captain.
On the fitness front, Shami has assured fans that he’s fully recovered from his recent knee issues and is gearing up for India’s Test series against Australia next month.
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Shami, who has been managing an ankle injury from last year, mentioned that he has now returned to full-intensity bowling. “I am completely pain-free now,” Shami said, confirming that he would likely play a few Ranji Trophy matches to regain form ahead of the crucial Australia tour.
Rohit previously expressed concerns about Shami’s fitness, but the pacer is confident in his preparation and aims to be at his best for the high-stakes Border-Gavaskar series, which kicks off on November 22 in Perth.