Sachin Tendulkar's birthday on April 24 was also the date when Rohit Sharma completed 10 years as the Mumbai Indians' captain. And today, April 30, when Rohit celebrated his birthday, his MI teammates lauded their skipper's contribution.
The India captain and opener has turned 36.
Rohit was handed the leadership role at MI for the first time on April 24, 2013. He went on to guide the Mumbai Indians to titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020.
On the eve of MI's clash with Rajasthan Royals, the team and coaching staff spoke about captain Rohit's decade at the helm.
"He's grown as a leader. I mean he's grown into leadership," said Kieron Pollard, the team's batting coach who made a huge contribution to the franchise's success in his playing days.
"Obviously, it was entrusted onto him in 2013 in the middle of a season. He was still pretty young at that point in time."
Pollard, who was part of team when Rohit took over captaincy in 2013, said the Mumbaikar was a quick learner.
1/10:Rohit Sharma turns 36
TNN
2/10:Rohit Sharma
<p>India's all-format skipper Rohit Sharma turns 36 on Sunday, April 30. </p>TNN
3/10:Mumbai Indians captain
<p>2023 makes it all the more special as Rohit also completes a decade as Mumbai Indians captain. </p>TNN
4/10:Debut in 2007
<p>Rohit made his international cricket debut in 2007 and scored 88 runs in three matches in the ICC T20 World Cup 2007.</p>Getty Images
5/10:One-day cricket
<p>In 243 ODIs, Rohit has scored 9825 runs at an average of 48.64.</p>Getty Images
6/10:30 ODI tons
<p>Rohit has 30 centuries and 48 fifties in the ODI format, with 264 being his best individual score, which is also the best score in ODI cricket history.</p>Getty Images
7/10:3 ODI double tons
<p>Rohit is also the only batter to have scored three double centuries in ODI cricket and his ODI runs have come at a strike rate of 90.02. </p>Getty Images
8/10:2019 World Cup
<p>Rohit became the first cricketer to score five centuries in a single World Cup tournament when he smashed five tons in the 2019 edition in England.</p>Getty Images
9/10:Test cricket
<p>In 49 Tests and 83 innings, Rohit has scored 3,379 runs at an average of 45.66 and a strike rate of over 55.</p>Getty Images
10/10:9 Test tons
<p>Rohit has scored nine centuries and 14 fifties in Test cricket, with the best score of 212.</p>Getty Images"That shows you that a person has a great acumen of what he can accomplish and we are lucky to have him as a leader. He has a wealth of experience, so it's a matter of tapping into that and continuing to see him grow."
Terming Rohit's career so far as "incredible", bowling coach Shane Bond said: "He's such a big personality around our group, on and off the field and particularly in leading this team to where we are now, he has done a brilliant job."
Suryakumar Yadav, one of MI's batting mainstay, said Rohit's journey has been an incredible story.
"Here we are in his 10th year as captain. So obviously 10 years as captain, that too for a franchise like Mumbai Indians. I think it is a very, very big achievement. It's a story in itself. He's brought so much glory for the franchise, winning five trophies under his captaincy."
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green added: "The success that Mumbai have had, a lot of that is to do with him."
MI fielding coach James Pamment said Rohit's conduct makes him a great leader.
"A great strength of his is that he encourages the young Indian players very well," Pamment said.
"Captains just know how to pull the strings and that's one of the things Rohit has done extremely well from being a very young captain when he first won the championship to maturing in the job. In a big competition like this, he's got a nice manner about him."
(With agency inputs)
