Not Rohit's fitness but leadership what India wants: ex cricketer
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Mumbai: Amid the controversy regarding captain Rohit Sharma's fitness, former India batter Pravin Amre feels that more than the opener's fitness, Men in Blue needs his leadership skills after he led the country to the third Champions Trophy title.
India defeated New Zealand by four wickets to claim their second consecutive ICC title. In the 252 chase, Rohit played a major role with a knock of 76 runs before Shreyas Iyer (48) and K.L. Rahul (34 not out) gave the finishing touches to take the side over the line on a slow and tricky Dubai pitch.
"It was a happy moment for all of us. It makes all of us happy when Team India wins an ICC trophy. They played as a team, and we played good cricket throughout the tournament. We won 10 matches in the 2023 ODI World Cup but failed to lift the trophy. The credit must be given to the team and Rohit for handling the side and giving role clarity to players. He led from the front and contributed in a crucial 100-plus opening partnership in the final," Amre told IANS.
"He was also praised by the opponent captain for his knock. I've seen him since his U-16 days, and I'm very happy about his success. His leadership quality is a standout, as he has won two ICC trophies apart from five IPL titles. He is enjoying his cricket and is at a good stage," he added.
Amre further shut Rohit's critics and said India needed his leadership skills more than his fitness. "It is said that 'You can't buy an experience in the supermarket', and he has shown how much cricket experience he has. He has that skill, and more importantly, he is a good leader. More than his fitness, Team India needs his leadership," he said.
Amre, who is also Iyer's childhood coach, said he was happy to see the performance of the batter in the tournament after he finished as India's top run-getter and second overall with 241 runs, including two fifties.
"Shreyas Iyer's role at No.4 was to build partnerships and dominate spinners. He performed his role well, and others also executed their roles well to come out as champions," he said. "I've seen Shreyas since his U-12 days, and he likes challenges. He has that talent, and I want him to continue playing for India. He has to work on his fitness to play a lot of cricket for the next five years. He has game awareness and has delivered on important occasions," Amre added.
The former batter also highlighted the strength of the Indian bowling lineup in the absence of their premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. "We have (winning options). Our bowling department is looking good. Winning in the absence of Bumrah is a very big achievement," Amre said.