Tense sporting contests are often defined by the opening blows. A solid first punch can set the tone. Pakistan pace ace Shaheen Shah Afridi had been delivering that to the Indian batting line-up since his spectacular first over in the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai when he removed Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in quick succession. At the ODI Asia Cup opener in Pallekele, he produced another electrifying burst of 4/35. He beat Rohit for pace and then induced an inside edge from Virat Kohli.

PREMIUM

Ahead of their Super Four tie then, the discussion was about the psychological grip the fast bowler had on the Indian line-up. In Colombo, Indian fans watched nervously as Afridi ran in to bowl the first over. All eyes were on Rohit’s response. He calmly played out five balls. On the last delivery, Afridi erred a bit in line, drifting to middle-and-leg, and the India captain pounced with a flick for six over backward square-leg.

The psychological blow in a nervy, tactical battle for supremacy had been delivered. More than winning an ego battle or settling scores, it was more about a leader sending a message across to his dressing room, calming nerves. With the first blow executed, the hammering followed. Rohit’s teammates built on the perfect platform to rattle the Pakistan attack as India romped to a 228-run win, subsequently going on to win the title.

That six reflected Rohit’s personality – confident of his skills and filled with belief regardless of the opponent’s reputation. All traits of a fine leader.

Pakistan can intimidate opponents, especially when their fast bowlers are on song. But in Rohit, India have a seasoned player as leader.

Like the Asia Cup, he will need to be at his best over the next two months if he is to vindicate the faith reposed in him by the national selectors when they made him India skipper two years ago by replacing Virat Kohli. The main aim of the leadership change was to achieve glory in the ODI World Cup at home.

In India’s quest to end an over 12-year wait for a World Cup trophy, the Mumbai player realises that it will firstly be about his contribution with the bat. Made for the 50-over format, there are few batters who can be more devastating than Rohit when in the zone. At the 2019 ODI World Cup, he amassed 648 runs with five centuries in nine innings at an average of 81, finishing as the tournament’s top-scorer.

“Captaincy is secondary… my role in the team is more as a batter. Obviously to captain well as well, (but) first of all I have to score big runs and win games for the team,” he said in reply to a HT query during the Cup build-up.

After a patchy season in limited-overs cricket, he began the year with fresh resolve. In 2019, what defined his show was a Zen-like focus and calmness at the crease. There were glimpses of that poise during the Asia Cup and in his last innings against Australia in the Rajkot ODI.

Peaking is important, and for him the target to do that was always the warm-up games. “Once we get into the warm-up matches, that is the time I need to start focusing on what to do first as a batter,” he told HT.

FAIRYTALE RISE

From the heartbreak of being left out of the 2011 World Cup team to leading India in a home World Cup, Rohit is living a fairytale. The burning desire to raise the trophy after missing out in 2011 comes across in his actions and words.

“I’ve never won a (50-overs) World Cup; it’s a dream to win a World Cup and to be here fighting for it – nothing makes me happier. You don’t get World Cups on a platter, you’ve to really work hard and that is what we have been doing all these years, from 2011 till now we all are fighting for it.

“Everyone is desperate to win because we know we have a good team. We are all good players, that inner confidence and self-belief is there that we can do it. It’s not happened, but that doesn’t mean that we take it lightly. When we lost the 2022 T20 World Cup, I said we will keep fighting for the next World Cup, no matter what. Kabhi na kabhi toh milega (at some point we will win),” he said in the interview.

NATURAL LEADER

The ease with which he handles responsibilities and the way he backs his players has endeared him to his India teammates. Despite the tough calls and selection heartbreaks, the dressing room seems a happy place.

“Rohit is a lovely guy at heart. Whoever knows him closely knows he doesn’t bother about his position in the team. With captaincy, he gives the vibe of “jisse bolte hai, mashall leke aage badhna hai” (whoever he asks, the player is prepared to do anything for him),” says all-rounder Shardul Thakur in the Cup squad about his former schoolmate.

THE DISAPPONTMENTS

The pressure is building up. The 2022 T20 Asia Cup was an embarrassment and the 2022 T20 World Cup was a disappointment. But Rohit missed key players due to injuries, none more than Jasprit Bumrah. In fact, for most of his captaincy tenure, he has been without his pace weapon. Rohit is clearly a better captain when Bumrah is there to call upon. Be it with Mumbai Indians in IPL or at the victorious Asia Cup campaign.

The stars though are aligning for the astute leader. For the first time, he will have a full bowling arsenal at his disposal. It is the result of how he has given time and space to the returning players to settle back in the team, be it staying in touch on the phone and getting R Ashwin back or giving KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer time to settle down on their injury return. Most crucially, Bumrah’s return gives the cutting edge. When you have every first-choice player available, it becomes a different ball game. This Indian team has a formidable look.

The next two months will define Rohit’s legacy. As Sunil Gavaskar told HT in an interaction recently: “At the end of the day you are judged by the number of trophies you have won, the numbers of wins you have, winning these two tournaments will make Rohit one of India’s greatest skippers.”