‘He might forget his phone and iPad but…’ - Ex-India batting coach Vikram Rathour hails Rohit Sharma as ‘shrewd tactician’

Former India batting coach Vikram Rathour heaped massive praise on Rohit Sharma's captaincy, recalling Virat Kohli's old viral remark about the Indian captain. Rohit is known for forgetting things, which is so evident during the toss time as he forgets the decision and changes, but Rathour hailed him as a “shrewd tactician”.  

After India's 2023 Asia Cup victory, Rohit forgot his passport at the team hotel and Kohli's 2017 video about the veteran opener went viral on social media. The former India captain revealed on the 'Breakfast With Champions' podcast that Rohit forgets his iPad, wallet and even his phone.

Rathour agreed with Kohli's statement but added that the World Cup-winning captain never forgets his game plan. The 55-year-old said that Rohit is a phenomenal batter who understands the game really well. 

“He might forget whether he has decided to bat or bowl at the toss, or his phone and iPad in the team bus but he never forgets his gameplan. He is very good at it and is a very shrewd tactician,” coach Rathour said in a podcast “Find a Way with Taruwar Kohli.”

“His first quality is that as a batsman, he is a phenomenal player. I think he is someone who understands his game really well. He always has a clear game plan,” he added.

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Never seen a captain, who is so invested in team meetings: Rathour on Rohit’s unique approach

Rohit has always been appreciated by his teammates and others in the fraternity for his way of communication and man management. Rathore said he had never seen a captain spend so much time in team meetings and strategies. He added Rohit also invests a lot of time with the players.

"He is a player’s captain. He is invested with the players. I have never seen a captain, who is so invested in team meetings and strategies. He spends a lot of time on the team’s strategy. He is part of the bowlers’ meeting, batters' meeting. He wants to sit with the bowlers and batters to try and understand what they are thinking. He invests a lot of time with the players," Rathour said. 

To highlight Rohit’s captaincy brilliance, the former batting coach took the 37-year-old’s bold decision to complete Jasprit Bumrah's overs early in the T20 World Cup final.

“He is tactically very good as a captain. In the T20 World Cup final, he finished Bumrah’s over early. A lot of people must have questioned that decision but that decision put us in the situation, where 16 was needed in the last over. His tactical decisions on the field are spot on. Sitting outside It surprises you as a coach as well. We from outside sometimes think what he is doing but then you realise what he has done after a while," Rahtour concluded.