Two-time World Cup winning captain, Australian legend Ricky Ponting has highlighted Rohit Sharma as the linchpin for India’s success in the ongoing World Cup. He is of the opinion that the right-hander is the perfect captain to guide the Men in Blue to victory in the 2023 World Cup, which is being hosted by India.
When comparing the characteristics of Rohit Sharma and his predecessor, Virat Kohli, Ponting stated that Virat Kohli would have struggled to handle the pressure of such a significant occasion.
Ricky Ponting stated, “He’s very laid back, Rohit. Very laid back with everything he does. You can even see that by the way that he plays. He’s a pretty laconic sort of batsman as well, and that’s the way he is both on and off the field.”
Ponting further expressed that Rohit Sharma is the best choice to lead India in the World Cup, allowing Virat Kohli to concentrate on his role as a star batsman.
“Someone like Virat, who is a bit more heart-on-the-sleeve, and probably listens to the fans and plays up with the fans a little bit more, someone with his personality would probably find it a bit harder” Ponting said.
While discussing Team India’s World Cup chances, the former Australian captain believes that Men in Blue will be an “extremely hard” side to beat given their ability to hold up under extreme pressure well.
India has had a strong start to their World Cup campaign with three consecutive victories against Australia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Their next match is against Bangladesh at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on October 19.