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Kohli served as India’s Test captain from December 2014 to January 2022 and white-ball skipper from January 2017 to November 2021.
Robin Uthappa highlights major difference between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s leadership. (Picture Credit: BCCI)
Former Indian batter Robin Uthappa, who shared the dressing room with both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma during his playing days for India and in the IPL as well, highlighted the major difference between the leadership of the two. According to Uthappa, who has donned the hat of an expert and commentator after his retirement from cricket, Kohli’s style of captaincy was very exclusive, whereas Rohit’s style is very inclusive.
“The style of leadership was not inclusive. Virat’s style of leadership was very exclusive. Aap meri tareh bano, toh aap fit ho jaoge. Rohit’s style of leadership is very inclusive. Aap jaha par bhi ho, waha par raho; hum baat karke apki game ko uthayenge,” Uthappa said while speaking to Lallantop.
“I haven’t played under Virat as a captain very much. But Virat, as a captain, he was very ‘my way or the highway’ kind of a captain. It’s not like these guys aren’t also like that, but how you treat your team, how you treat your personnel, because it is not just about results. Virat’s style of captaincy was different to the extent that you needed to reach his level. Whether it was fitness, whether it was eating habits, whether it was listening, or agreeing, all of that had to happen at that standard.”
“There are two different types of leaders. There are leaders who say this is the standard needed. Some leaders say, I will meet you where you are, and I will elevate you to the standards I need you to be. For me that is the basic difference between the leadership of them (Rohit and Kohli). Both work and both will produce results, but the impact on the personnel will be different. One will value a lot, and the exclusive one will feel let down a lot,” Uthappa added.
Kohli was appointed as India’s Test captain in December 2014 after MS Dhoni announced his retirement from the five-day format of the game. He took charge of India’s white-ball teams in January 2017 and served as captain till the 2021 T20 World Cup. Under his leadership, India reached the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy and the semifinal of the 2019 ODI World Cup.
