Who saved Rohit Sharma’s cricket career?
The question "Who saved Rohit Sharma's cricket career?" is a real one—it's regarding a watershed moment engineered by former India captain MS Dhoni. Until 2013, Rohit Sharma was an extremely talented but unpredictable ODI batsman.He did not have a clear career path, and he was frequently left out.
That got modified when MS Dhoni chose to elevate him as an opener, an action for which Rohit credits with completely changing his game.Dhoni’s faith and timely decision resurrected Rohit’s career and set him on a path leading to world-record innings, consistency, and global acclaim.
From debut to 2012, Rohit Sharma held a middle-order position in ODIs but did not provide consistent performances. In 86 games he managed only 1,978 runs at a strike rate of 77.94—a humble payback for a player of his ability. He was left out of the 2011 World Cup team and his position in the side looked tenuous. The critics raised doubts about his potential to translate talent into performance, and his future did not look bright.
Earlier in 2013, during a home series against England, MS Dhoni came up to Rohit Sharma with an ambitious plan: opening India's ODI innings. Rohit recalled later, "Dhoni asked me to open in ODIs … I became a better batsman after that. It helped me understand my game better".
Dhoni pointed out Rohit's solid pull and cut shots—just the qualities required up top, particularly in conditions such as England's. He instructed Rohit not to be afraid of failure or criticism and guaranteed him his faith.
Rohit Sharma’s first match opening was against England, where he scored 83 off 93 in a tense chase of 258—and the innings changed everything. Soon after, during the ICC Champions Trophy in England, Rohit was India’s permanent opener alongside Shikhar Dhawan. Scoring 177 runs and two fifties in five matches at 35.4 average, he helped India lift the trophy. That campaign cemented his status and vindicated Dhoni’s decision.
When Rohit began to open consistently after 2013, his figures ballooned. After 2013 he scored approximately 9,190 ODI runs in 187 games at a strike rate of 96.78—well above his initial performance. He made his maiden ODI double-century (209 against Australia, Bangalore) and later a world record 264 against Sri Lanka in Kolkata. Since then, he has scored 30 ODI centuries, three of which were double centuries.All of this was built upon the platform provided by Dhoni’s trust.
So who saved Rohit Sharma’s cricket career? Simple: MS Dhoni. Rohit himself says Dhoni’s decision to make him opener changed everything—“it was a decision taken by MS Dhoni” and “there won’t be one like him”. Former opener Gautam Gambhir echoed this sentiment, stating that Rohit’s success is a direct result of Dhoni’s backing and belief in his talent .Many cricketing experts and teammates believe Dhoni’s calmness under pressure and reading of a player’s strengths enabled this pivotal moment.
That got modified when MS Dhoni chose to elevate him as an opener, an action for which Rohit credits with completely changing his game.Dhoni’s faith and timely decision resurrected Rohit’s career and set him on a path leading to world-record innings, consistency, and global acclaim.
From debut to 2012, Rohit Sharma held a middle-order position in ODIs but did not provide consistent performances. In 86 games he managed only 1,978 runs at a strike rate of 77.94—a humble payback for a player of his ability. He was left out of the 2011 World Cup team and his position in the side looked tenuous. The critics raised doubts about his potential to translate talent into performance, and his future did not look bright.
Earlier in 2013, during a home series against England, MS Dhoni came up to Rohit Sharma with an ambitious plan: opening India's ODI innings. Rohit recalled later, "Dhoni asked me to open in ODIs … I became a better batsman after that. It helped me understand my game better".
Dhoni pointed out Rohit's solid pull and cut shots—just the qualities required up top, particularly in conditions such as England's. He instructed Rohit not to be afraid of failure or criticism and guaranteed him his faith.
Rohit Sharma’s first match opening was against England, where he scored 83 off 93 in a tense chase of 258—and the innings changed everything. Soon after, during the ICC Champions Trophy in England, Rohit was India’s permanent opener alongside Shikhar Dhawan. Scoring 177 runs and two fifties in five matches at 35.4 average, he helped India lift the trophy. That campaign cemented his status and vindicated Dhoni’s decision.
When Rohit began to open consistently after 2013, his figures ballooned. After 2013 he scored approximately 9,190 ODI runs in 187 games at a strike rate of 96.78—well above his initial performance. He made his maiden ODI double-century (209 against Australia, Bangalore) and later a world record 264 against Sri Lanka in Kolkata. Since then, he has scored 30 ODI centuries, three of which were double centuries.All of this was built upon the platform provided by Dhoni’s trust.
So who saved Rohit Sharma’s cricket career? Simple: MS Dhoni. Rohit himself says Dhoni’s decision to make him opener changed everything—“it was a decision taken by MS Dhoni” and “there won’t be one like him”. Former opener Gautam Gambhir echoed this sentiment, stating that Rohit’s success is a direct result of Dhoni’s backing and belief in his talent .Many cricketing experts and teammates believe Dhoni’s calmness under pressure and reading of a player’s strengths enabled this pivotal moment.
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