Rohit Sharma is a successful leader: Ricky Ponting backs India limited-overs skipper for Test captaincy
India Today
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has backed Rohit Sharma to take over as India's Test captain, saying he has an impeccable record as a leader.
Legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Pointing has thrown his support behind Rohit Sharma to take over as India's Test captain, saying his record as a leader is impeccable. Ponting also revealed it was him who suggested Rohit to lead the Mumbai Indians when he had to step down from that role after indifferent form in 2013.
Earlier this month, Kohli stepped down as the Test skipper a day after India suffered a 1-2 series defeat against South Africa in the three-match series. Last year, the 33-year-old also stepped down as T20I captain and then he was removed as the ODI leader after the selectors wanted one leader for white-ball formats.
"I was at Mumbai Indians when Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy there. I was bought in the auction to be their captain and unfortunately, I wasn't playing well enough after the first few games to keep myself in the team, so I had to make room for another international player to come into the side," the ICC website quoted Ponting as saying.
"The owners and the team management wanted to know who I thought would be the appropriate person to take over the leadership at the Mumbai Indians. There were a few names thrown around between owners and the other coaches but it was really clear to me that there was only one guy that could lead the team - he was a young guy and his name happened to be Rohit Sharma," he added.
Rohit had missed the series against South Africa due to a hamstring issue but he has now recovered and would be leading the side in the upcoming white-ball series against West Indies.
"I think the proof is in the pudding with what he has done for the Mumbai Indians from that moment on. He has been a very successful leader there and has been when he has led India on a few occasions as well. If I go back to what I said at the start about being on top of your game when you take over a captaincy role, then it is pretty hard to argue after what he has done with his Test cricket in the last 2-to 3 years. He has played as well as anybody in the world through that period of time, and we know how good he is as a white-ball player," Ponting added.
"They (BCCI) will have a decision to make what they want to do with their roles as well, whether they split roles or whether they want to keep the same captain for all formats," he added.
