Rohit Sharma is widely regarded as one of the best captains in the modern-day game.
Rohit Sharma is widely regarded as one of the best captains in the modern-day game. He has led Team India with great success, especially in the white-ball formats.
Under his leadership, India have won two Asia Cup titles and equal number of ICC trophies – Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and Champions Trophy 2025.
Such has been the dominance of India in the global tournaments that they have lost only one out of their last 24 matches, with the defeat coming against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final at Ahmedabad.
Recently, India pacer Khaleel Ahmed heaped praise on Rohit Sharma’s leadership, recalling a moment from 2019 that left a lasting impression on him.
The left-arm quick narrated an incident from a T20I match against Bangladesh in Rajkot, where after a modest outing, Rohit took the time to personally uplift him.
“I didn’t have a great day and only got one wicket. Rohit bhai came to me in the dressing room and spoke to me one-on-one,” Khaleel said while speaking to RevSportz.
“The team was leaving the stadium, but he stayed back to talk. He told me I’m unaware of my own capabilities. When we were exiting, fans were shouting his name, and he told me, ‘All of this should happen for you too. You should wish this for yourself and stay positive.’”
Khaleel also revealed that Rohit has done the same to India’s premier wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant.
“A captain like him, talking to me like that after the match, made me wonder how kind a person he is. I’ve seen him do the same with Rishabh (Pant). People don’t even look at you when you’ve had a bad game, but he’s something else,” Khaleel said.
“Recently, I met him at the NCA during the Duleep Trophy. He looked very fit, so I told him to stay like that and keep playing. I have hardly seen such a captain and person in my life. He’s a gem, and I have a lot of respect and love for him.”
He added, “I feel Rohit Sharma should play for the next 10 years for the good of Indian cricket, and that’s my personal feeling.”
Asked about his own aspirations and where he sees himself in the next couple of years, Khaleel said: “I have gained a lot of experience and I’m pretty strong now. I’ve been playing domestic cricket continuously and with India A since 2017. I also played for India in 2018-19.”
Khaleel cited the example of a recent tour game in England to highlight his determination to perform under pressure.
“There was a day when the score was 219 for 1 and I hadn’t taken a wicket. But the zeal to play for India made me push harder. In the morning session, I took 4 wickets in 4 overs,” he said. “It’s the madness and experience I’ve gained, and also my dream of playing red-ball cricket for India.”
On his T20 ambitions, Khaleel mentioned his performances in the IPL, particularly for Sunrisers Hyderabad on the slow Chepauk track.
“If I can bowl dot balls on the flat Chennai pitch against top foreign players, then I believe I have the ability to represent India. I’ve got Kookaburra experience, Dukes ball experience, and I’ve bowled on flat wickets across India. I feel I can play anywhere in the world,” he remarked.
Khaleel Ahmed last played an ODI for India in 2019, while last T20I appearance was in July 2024.