Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has discussed the similarities between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s leadership approaches.
Brad Haddin emphasized how Kohli, as Indian captain, encouraged ruthlessness in the team. He also mentioned how fitness was addressed and the huge increase in fielding standards.
On the LiSTNER podcast, Brad Haddin remarked this when asked who led the Indian team better, Kohli or Sharma:
“I thought Virat changed the way India prepared for their cricket. They became really ready. He held his play group to a high standard and he’s one of those captains who said I’m not going to get you to do anything that I’m not doing myself.’
“You’ve seen the athleticism in the Indian cricket team change, and their mentality towards it. They were feeling energetic – their fitness and they dived when Kohli took over. And when they were up for the contest against Australia, he didn’t back down. He changed the modern game a lot in India and how India played.”
Brad Haddin
Virat Kohli brought significant transformations when he became captain after MS Dhoni. Introducing the mandatory Yo-Yo test was one key change he implemented. Adopting an aggressive playing style was another notable shift during his tenure.
Kohli contributed significantly to India’s remarkable comeback in Test cricket, particularly on away visits. He gave up the T20 captaincy after the 2021 World Cup. The great batsman eventually stood down as Test captain in January 2022.
Following Kohli’s departure, Rohit Sharma was named to the leadership roles in all forms. To round up his response, Brad Haddin discussed his thoughts on Sharma’s captaincy.
“The players play for him” – Brad Haddin on Rohit Sharma’s leadership
Brad Haddin acknowledged Rohit Sharma’s amazing success as captain of the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), winning five titles.
He praised Sharma’s tactical abilities and said that he can also do well away from home. The former cricketer added:
“But on the other hand, Rohit Sharma is as good a captain tactically that you’ll see. He’s had a lot of success in the IPL. He’s captained there since Ricky Ponting left, and that would have been over 10 years. The players play for him and tactically, he’s as good as you’ll get in India and non subcontinent conditions.”
Brad Haddin
Notably, Rohit Sharma gained significant accolades for managing a rather inexperienced Indian team to a 4-1 victory in the just finished five-match Test series against England. He was the first captain to defeat England in a Test series in the Bazball era.
