‘How many Captains?’: Yuvraj Singh slams critics targeting Rohit Sharma

Former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh defended Rohit Sharma against criticism after India’s poor results in recent matches. Speaking at an event, Yuvraj stressed that judging Rohit solely on recent defeats is unfair. He urged critics to consider Rohit’s overall contributions as captain.

India’s struggles began with a 3-1 loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This marked the first time in a decade that India lost the Trophy to Australia. The defeat also cost India a spot in the World Test Championship final. Adding to the pressure, India suffered a humiliating 3-0 whitewash against New Zealand at home. These setbacks followed a year where Rohit led India to T20 World Cup glory but raised questions about his leadership.

Yuvraj reminded critics of Rohit’s successes. “Rohit won the T20 World Cup as captain and led India to the ODI World Cup final. He also led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles,” Yuvraj stated. He called for patience, noting that head coach Gautam Gambhir had just joined the system. “Gautam needs more time, and the team’s graph should be evaluated over three to five years,” he added.

Highlighting Rohit’s sportsmanship, Yuvraj praised him for stepping down in the final Test against Australia after a string of low scores. “How many captains have done that before? Please tell me,” he questioned. Yuvraj emphasized that this move showed Rohit’s willingness to give others a chance.

Yuvraj also shifted focus to standout performances during the Australia series. He praised opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for scoring over 150 runs in his first Test in Australia and rookie Nitish Reddy for his century in Melbourne. “Nitish scoring a hundred on his first tour is amazing. Jaiswal’s 150-plus score is highly commendable. We should talk more about these performances,” Yuvraj stated.

Addressing India’s home defeat to New Zealand, Yuvraj called it a tougher pill to swallow than the loss to Australia. He urged critics to view the larger picture and focus on positives, not just failures. “The New Zealand series was shocking, but we must also acknowledge individual brilliance,” he concluded.

Yuvraj’s defense of Rohit highlights the importance of patience and balanced evaluation. He called on fans and critics to consider past successes and promising performances, even amid challenging times. With Gambhir’s arrival and emerging players like Jaiswal and Reddy, Yuvraj remains optimistic about India’s future under Rohit’s leadership.