Rohit Sharma credits Rahul Dravid: Hitman speaks on Australia tour

Digital Desk

Rohit Sharma made his first public appearance after being removed as the ODI skipper of the Indian squad at the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai. There, the Indian batter was rewarded memento for winning the ICC Champions Trophy as captain.

The evening was not just special for the reward that Rohit received for his achievement earlier this year. Rather, he also spoke up on looking ahead to playing Australia in the ODI series that kicks off from 19 October.

Moreover, the former Indian skipper opened up about the process that led the team to the Champions Trophy title, crediting former India head coach Rahul Dravid, as well, skipping any mention of then-coach Gautam Gambhir.

Speaking about leading his side to the T20I World Cup title win in 2024, Rohit said that the ICC Champions Trophy was a turning point for his team. When he could not lead his team to the title, especially after India's 10-wicket loss to England in the T20 World Cup 2022 at Adelaide, he decided to do something different.

It was a joint approach from Rohit and Rahul Dravid that all players joined. Giving details on the plan, the former ODI skipper said-It is not about one year of work or two years of work. We had come so close to winning that trophy many times (2014 T20 World Cup finals, 2016 T20 WC semis). That is where everyone decided that we needed to do something different. One or two players cannot do it. You need everyone to buy into that thought. That was really good from the team, and that is something that helped me and Rahul Dravid, when we were planning for the T20 World Cup and then on to the Champions Trophy.

Rohit did not mention anything about planning with the current India head coach, who was also leading the dressing room in the Champions Trophy 2025.

Telling of the Australian tour, which starts on October 19 with three ODIs, the only format the 'Hitman' currently plays, Rohit said, "I love that team, I love playing with them. Australia is a different challenge every time they have played against us."

The 'Hitman' has an impeccable ODI record with 11,168 runs in 273 matches and 265 innings at an average of 48.76 and a strike rate of 92.80, with 32 centuries and 58 fifties.

Since first wearing the ODI captaincy armband in 2017, Rohit led India in 56 ODIs, winning a stunning 42, losing just 12, one ending in a no-result, while one ended in a tie. That's too, with a 75% win percentage, puts him among world's best white-ball leaders statistically.

Under Rohit, India secured the 2018 and 2023 ODI Asia Cup, the runners-up position in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup at home and the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai this year. Notably, under his captaincy, India only lost one match in 23 games in the last three ICC tournaments.

However, this time, there will be something new for him in store as, instead of captaining, he will be playing under the captaincy of his batting partner, a young Shubman Gill, who had a promising 2-2 draw captaincy debut against England away from home. It'll be worth watching what Rohit will adopt in the upcoming ODI series vs Australia as a player.