Rahul Dravid credits Rohit Sharma for changing India's white-ball mindset
Former India head coach Rahul Dravid has heaped praise on Rohit Sharma, crediting him for transforming India’s white-ball approach and playing a key role in ending the nation’s long wait for a T20 World Cup title. Under Rohit’s captaincy, India embraced a fearless and attacking brand of cricket, which culminated in their triumph at the 2024 T20 World Cup, their first in 17 years.
Speaking on the popular show BwC, Dravid reflected on how his partnership with Rohit reshaped the team’s white-ball strategy. He revealed that when he took charge as coach, both he and Rohit agreed that India needed to evolve with the modern demands of limited-overs cricket by adopting a more aggressive style.
“From the time I came in, a lot of the discussion with Rohit around was that we wanted to play a more aggressive brand of cricket. And we tried, we started right from the beginning because we could see that that's the way the game was evolving and Rohit deserves a lot of credit for it,” Dravid said in the latest episode.
Dravid further mentioned that India’s approach during the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they reached the final, was a clear sign of this new philosophy taking shape. The journey was completed a year later when India lifted the T20 World Cup under Rohit’s leadership.
“To move the team in a particular direction. Play the game in a lot more aggressive and a lot more positive way, and I'm glad that we've sort of kept going in that direction to the point where I think India's kind of changing what T20 cricket is like,” he added.
Rohit’s career post T20 World Cup 2024
Following his retirement from T20 internationals after the 2024 World Cup and stepping away from Test cricket in 2025, Rohit has adjusted his game in the 50-over format. During the recent ODI series in Australia, the opener showcased a more measured approach, building his innings before accelerating. He scored 73 and an unbeaten 121 in the second and third ODIs, respectively, performances that helped him reclaim the top spot in the ODI batting rankings.
Rohit is now set to return to action in November when India face South Africa in a three-match ODI series.
