Mixing easy elegance with bulldozer muscularity

From the deeply intellectual Mike Brearley to the passionately hands-on Imran Khan, the craft of cricket captaincy has evolved decisively over the decades.

- SHIVAJI DASGUPTA

FROM THE DEEPLY intellectual Mike Brearley to the passionately hands-on Imran Khan, the craft of cricket captaincy has evolved decisively over the decades. In modern times, it has settled down to the Warrior Captain genre, folks who are first and foremost stellar performers. Leadership is thus an act of relentless example and not the influence of persuasive philosophy. Rohit Sharma is clearly a distinguished graduate of this school, operating with admirable distinction.

Sharma's ODI and T20 career commenced in 2007 and his delayed Test match engagement was sealed in 2013. At a time when the heritage stalwarts were still at the top of the game, parking places in the five-day format were still quite a luxury. Quite like his limited overs debut, Sharma's Test match initiation was spectacular, with notable back-to-back centuries signaling his dynamic intent. With time, he became a much-revered all-format player, the versatility in his repertoire being proven with delightful frequency. Although, the test place did come under scrutiny in a few years, only to be resurrected with much elan, he earned the mafiosi title of hitman, unusual for a devout mainstreamer.