“Someone like Virat would probably find it a bit harder” – Ricky Ponting feels Rohit Sharma is the ideal captain for Team India in World Cup 2023.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has recently shared his views on the ideal captain for the Indian cricket team as they prepare for the 2023 ODI World Cup, which will be hosted in India. Ponting believes that Rohit Sharma is the perfect choice to lead the Men in Blue to victory in the tournament. In making this assessment, he made a thoughtful comparison between Rohit Sharma and his predecessor, Virat Kohli.

Ponting pointed out that Rohit Sharma’s personality and temperament make him better suited to handle the pressure of leading the team in a high-stakes tournament like the ODI World Cup. He suggested that, while both Rohit and Virat are exceptional players and leaders, Rohit’s composed and calm nature gives him an edge when it comes to managing the expectations and stress associated with major events.

Ponting said “He’s very laid back, Rohit. Very laid back with everything he does. You can even see that by the way that he plays. He’s a pretty laconic sort of batsman as well, and that’s the way he is both on and off the field. We can’t sit back and say that the pressure won’t get to them at some stage, or it won’t affect them, because it will, just with the enormity of the tournament. But he’ll take it and cope with it as well as probably anyone.”

The Indian cricket team has started their ODI World Cup campaign on a strong note, winning all three of their initial matches. They began with a convincing six-wicket victory over Australia, followed by an impressive eight-wicket win against Afghanistan. In their most recent match, they outperformed their arch-rivals Pakistan, securing a convincing seven-wicket victory.

According to Ponting, Rohit’s leadership will allow Virat Kohli, to focus solely on his primary role – scoring runs and contributing to the team’s success.

“Someone like Virat, who is a bit more heart-on-the-sleeve, and probably listens to the fans and plays up with the fans a little bit more, someone with his personality would probably find it a bit harder. But I think Rohit will be fine with it. He’s a terrific bloke and has been a great player for a long time, and he’s done a great job as leader of India,” he added.