AB de Villiers said the way Rohit Sharma has transformed his game in the last couple of years, there is no reason for him to retire from ODIs.
Four days after India’s Champions Trophy victory, beating New Zealand in the final in Dubai and the discussion around captain Rohit Sharma’s future refuses to die down. And this was after Rohit openly announced that he was not retiring from ODIs and requested everyone to stop spreading rumours. Backing Rohit fully for his decision to continue playing the 50-overs format, legendary South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers said Rohit has no reason to retire as his staggering record as captain speaks for himself.
India captain Rohit Sharma
Rohit has the best win percentage among all captains in ODI cricket and he has now become only the second Indian captain to win multiple ICC tournaments — he led India to the T20 World Cup title last year before orchestrating the Champions Trophy victory.
“Compared to other captains, look at Rohit’s win percentage, it’s almost 74%, which is substantially more than any other captain of the past. If he keeps going, he will go down as one of the best ODI captains of all time. Rohit has also said he is not retiring and has requested that rumours be stopped spreading.
“Why would he retire? With that kind of record not only captain but also as a batter. That 76 in the final off 83 balls, giving India a fantastic start, laying the foundation for success and leading from the front when the pressure was at its peak,” said de Villiers on his YouTube channel.
‘Rohit has transformed his batting; no reason to retire’: de Villiers
De Villiers said the way Rohit has transformed his game in the last couple of years, there is no reason for him to retire from ODIs as his attacking batting in the first 10 overs gives the Indian innings a much-needed impetus.
“Rohit Sharma has got no reason to retire. No reason to take any criticism whatsoever. His record speaks for himself. Not only that, but he has also sort of transformed his game. If we have a look at his strike rate in the powerplay it was quite low for an opening batter in the powerplay but since 2022 his strike rate has rose to 115 in the first powerplay and that’s the difference between good and great. It’s transforming your own game and it never stops. You have always something to learn and something to do better,” he added.
The former South Africa captain also added that more credit must be given to Rohit for rising above his poor form in test cricket to dish out match-winning performances in the ODIs. Rohit rose to the third spot in ICC ODI rankings on the back of his Player of the Match show in the Champions Trophy final.
“As an Indian fan, you’ve got to be proud of him. It has not always been plain sailing for him. His form in different formats has been up and down but when it comes to the big moments, the big matches, he leads from the front,” de Villiers said.
Recommended Topics Share this article Share Via Copy Link
