Former Indian batter Ambati Rayudu has heaped praise on Rohit Sharma’s leadership, insisting that no one can take his place in ODIs. Rayudu, who represented India in 55 ODIs and six T20Is between 2013 and 2019 before retiring, believes Rohit must lead India in the 2027 ODI World Cup.
“You need to look at who can win you the World Cup. If Rohit’s captaincy can do that, then he should continue till 2027. There is no one who can replace Rohit in ODIs; his batting, his captaincy and the confidence he instills in players are all extremely important,” Rayudu said during an appearance on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel.
Rohit’s ICC Record as Captain
Under Rohit’s captaincy, India has already tasted success, winning two ICC titles. He also guided India to the finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship, though the team finished runners-up on both occasions.
During the 2023 World Cup, India dominated the group stage by winning all nine league matches and then the semifinal against New Zealand. However, in the final, India lost to Pat Cummins-led Australia by six wickets in Ahmedabad.
Rohit himself shone with the bat, amassing 597 runs at an average of 54.27 and a strike rate of 125.94, finishing as the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer.
Rohit’s World Cup Legacy
The 2023 tournament wasn’t the first time Rohit made an impact on the biggest stage. In the 2019 World Cup, he scored 648 runs, including five centuries and a fifty, although India fell short in the semifinal under Virat Kohli’s leadership. In 2015, Rohit also played a key role with the bat, but India again exited in the semifinal.
Looking ahead, Rayudu believes that with Rohit’s experience, batting firepower, and calm captaincy, India has the best chance of lifting the 2027 ODI World Cup trophy, which will be hosted across South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
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