Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has given a bold statement on the captaincy of Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni in Test cricket. Rohit Sharma is back in the Indian team for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia and all eyes are on him as he aims to make a strong international comeback.
Ahead of the first ODI against Australia in Perth, Shastri said that Rohit is one of the most influential leaders in white-ball cricket but his Test captaincy record has not impressed him. As India’s white-ball captain, Rohit led the team to multiple Asia Cup and IPL titles as well as the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Ravi Shastri is not impressed with the Test captaincy of Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni
The Indian opener’s leadership in limited overs cricket is often compared to that of MS Dhoni, with both seen as game-changers for India. However, Rohit’s tenure as Test captain was not impressive. Out of 24 Tests under Rohit, India won 12 and lost nine, including a massive defeat in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia and a disappointing 0-3 defeat against New Zealand at home.
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Even the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia ended with a 1-3 defeat. On the other hand, in Test cricket, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, India won 27 matches, lost 18 and drew 15 matches. However, Shastri said that Rohit’s Test captaincy may not match his white-ball achievements, but his experience and hunger for success is unmatched.
Ravi Shastri said on The Grade Cricketer: “They have also won Asia Cups and IPL trophies (besides the ICC Trophy) like MS Dhoni. MS won everything. With MS, it was the full Monty. They are both excellent white-ball captains. I wouldn’t say the same when it comes to Tests because the attention spans are not the same.”
Ravi Shastri praised Rohit Sharma’s transformation
After losing the ODI captaincy to Shubman Gill, Rohit has paid a lot of attention to his fitness during the off-season. Rohit has lost weight, worked on his agility and prepared for the Australian challenge.
Impressed by Rohit’s hard work on his fitness, Shastri said, “There is no problem with Virat in terms of fitness, and you look at Rohit now; he has really worked. He has lost a lot of weight; he has worked hard on his fitness. So, there is that hunger, that desire.”
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Ravi Shastri reacts to the comeback of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, explains why fans went crazy
The three-match ODI series against Australia will be Rohit Sharma’s first international innings after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. With fans eager to see him back in action, his comeback has sparked debate on social media, including over Virat Kohli making a comeback in Australia.
Shastri stressed that these discussions are natural in a cricket-mad country like India, where loyalties and opinions vary widely, but Rohit and Virat Kohli enjoy universal respect and admiration among fans.
He signed off by saying, “It’s just like and maybe where you come from, which state you come from, and which team you are playing for. Like a lot of Virat fans will be RCB fans. A lot of Rohit fans will be MI fans. That’s always been the case. Honestly, with these two players, the fans are universal. MS had a huge fan following, and in India too This is the situation.”
