Rohit Sharma deeply cared about the team, Rahul Dravid says

Dubai: Former India head coach Rahul Dravid heaped praise on ODI skipper Rohit Sharma, highlighting his ability to emotionally connect with players as a defining trait of his leadership.

"I always felt Rohit genuinely cared about the team. From day one, he was clear about how he wanted to lead and what mattered most to him," Dravid said during a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube show.

Dravid stressed the importance of alignment between a captain and coach. “It’s vital for the captain to set the tone and direction. I’ve been a captain myself, so I know, the team should reflect the captain’s vision. As coach, your job is to support him, challenge him when needed, and help provide clarity,” he explained.

Between 2022 and 2024, Dravid and Rohit formed a strong partnership that saw India reach the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup — a heartbreaking loss to Australia. Dravid later revealed that he had considered stepping down after that defeat, but it was Rohit who convinced him to stay on. The decision proved pivotal, as the duo went on to lead India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados, ending the country's 11-year wait for an ICC trophy.

"Rohit was very clear about what he wanted from the team — the environment, the culture, the mindset. His experience helped shape that vision. My role was to work alongside him, sometimes challenge him, but mostly to make sure he was comfortable in that space. Once he was, I knew he’d perform — and inspire others to do the same," Dravid said.

He also praised Rohit’s temperament: “He was calm and steady. He didn’t ride emotional highs and lows. At least, he never showed that to me. That sense of balance was crucial.”

Reflecting on their off-field bond, Dravid said he valued the ease of their relationship. “What I really enjoyed was getting to know him as a person. We didn’t always have to talk about cricket — we could just sit, chat, have dinner. It never felt forced.”

Having first encountered Rohit as a teenager in the Under-19 setup, Dravid said watching him grow into a leader was particularly rewarding. “His greatest strength was his emotional intelligence — the way he connected with players. You’ve felt it too,” he told Ashwin. “You could talk to him, challenge him, and know he wouldn’t take it personally.”

Under Dravid’s guidance, Rohit also evolved his batting in limited-overs cricket. Encouraged to play a more aggressive, high-risk game at the top of the order, he helped set the tone early in matches.