Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh believes that MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma have distinctly different approaches to captaincy. Speaking on the podcast “Find a Way with Taruwar Kohli,” Harbhajan said, “Dhoni and Rohit are completely different leaders.”
Harbhajan recounted an experience from his time playing under Dhoni at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). “I remember a game where I was fielding at short fine leg, and MS Dhoni was keeping. Shardul Thakur was bowling, and Kane Williamson hit the first ball down the ground for a boundary. The next ball, same length, and Williamson played the same shot. I suggested to MS that Shardul should try a different length. MS replied, ‘Paji, if I tell him now, he’ll never learn. Let him learn by himself.’ Dhoni believed that Shardul would learn quickly from his mistakes, and that was his way of leading,” Harbhajan recalled.
In contrast, Harbhajan noted that Rohit Sharma takes a more direct and supportive approach. “Rohit is very different. He’ll go and talk to each player, put his arm around your shoulder, and tell you what he wants from you. He gives you that confidence that you can do it,” said the former spinner.
Harbhajan also highlighted how Rohit’s experience as a Test captain has improved his leadership skills. “The biggest change in Rohit came when he started captaining in Test cricket. As a Test captain, you learn a lot. In T20s, there are many moments you might overlook, but in Test cricket, the captain’s tactics and executions are crucial to winning. That makes you an excellent leader. Steve Waugh comes to mind because he was so good. If you do well as a captain in Test cricket, leading in T20Is and ODIs becomes easier,” Harbhajan said.
Taruwar Kohli, who played for Rajasthan Royals, compared Rohit Sharma’s leadership to the late Shane Warne. “Shane Warne was like Rohit bhai. During warm-ups, he would approach every individual and explain their role,” said Taruwar.
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Harbhajan also reflected on his early days playing under Sourav Ganguly, who he described as an excellent leader. “As a player, you want strong support from your captain. It’s all about man management. Sourav Ganguly was probably the best at that. He gave us the freedom to be ourselves and got the best out of us. MS Dhoni carried forward that legacy from Sourav, and then Rohit took it forward. I hope that in the future, whoever becomes Team India’s captain will continue that tradition,” he concluded.