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Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has praised Rohit Sharma’s leadership, saying the India captain played a major role in keeping the team united during some of its toughest phases.
Nayar recalled how Rohit handled difficult situations after painful defeats by taking responsibility on himself instead of putting the blame on individual players. He believes that Rohit’s honest communication, calm nature, and focus on supporting teammates helped create a strong bond inside the dressing room.
Nayar said one of Rohit’s biggest strengths as captain was his ability to protect his players when the team was under pressure. Instead of allowing criticism to affect the squad, Rohit would step forward and take accountability.
“We had Rohit Sharma as captain, and I remember him coming out after the Mumbai Test and saying in the press conference, 'It's okay. We've won so many series, we've lost this one, and I'll take responsibility for it.' That's who Rohit was. There was always that side of him that could lighten the mood and make sure the team was okay,” Nayar said on JioStar.
Nayar added that while defeats hurt everyone in the team, Rohit always focused on helping players who were struggling and making sure they felt supported.
“Of course, whenever India loses, it hurts everyone. But the one thing he did exceptionally well was look after his players. He would think about who had been affected the most, who hadn't scored runs, and how he could make them feel better. The quality I admired most about Rohit was that he always took responsibility. He would never come out and blame anyone by saying, 'You did this' or 'You did that.' Instead, he would put his hand up and say, 'I failed.' You would never hear him making excuses or throwing someone under the bus,”
According to Nayar, Rohit’s impact was not limited to his decisions on the field. His communication skills and genuine care for teammates helped him earn the trust of players across the team.
He also recalled the Sydney Test incident when Rohit was not part of the playing XI but still addressed the media and spoke honestly about the situation.
"I remember the Sydney Test when Rohit didn't play. He still came out, gave the interview, and said exactly what he had to say. He never sugar-coated anything. That's why the team trusted him. Ask any young cricketer, even today, and they'll speak very fondly about Rohit Sharma's captaincy.
Nayar further explained that players respected Rohit even when he criticised them because they knew it came from a place of support and trust.
“They'll tell you that even when he scolded them, they took it seriously because they knew it came from a place of trust and genuine care. As a captain, his communication was exceptional. Sanju Samson spoke about it too after he was left out of the T20 World Cup final in Barbados. Even though Sanju wasn't playing, Rohit made sure he spoke to him before the toss because he was concerned about how he was feeling. Those difficult phases were a little easier because Rohit Sharma was around,” Nayar stated.