In the 15 years of the Indian Premier League, a captain's greatness is defined by his ability to handle the pressure of the biggest and most competitive cricket league in the world while consistently showcasing why his side deserves to be the best. There are few players who have come close to the pedigree and legacy that Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni have as leaders.
Most successful captains
Together, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni have nine titles as captains collectively in the 15 years of the Indian Premier League, a record, which highlights why these two legends have been at the top of the pile when it comes to captaincy and leadership.
The Indian Premier League has grown from strength to strength since its inception. To celebrate 15 years of the IPL, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan were asked to pick their Best Captain between Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni.
Rohit deserves more credit
Former India opener Virender Sehwag explains why he picked Mumbai Indians' Rohit Sharma as the best captain of the IPL so far.
"The numbers tell you everything. See, MS Dhoni had the experience of captaining the Indian team and then he became the captain of the Chennai Super Kings. Rohit Sharma's first captaincy stint was with the Mumbai Indians, and from there, his journey to success began. So, that's why he deserves more credit. Much like Sourav Ganguly, who became the captain of the Indian team and tried new and different things. He played two finals of a World Cup and under his leadership, India became the number one one-day team. That's why my pick goes to Rohit Sharma," said Virender Sehwag at a press conference organized by Star Sports.
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh also gave his opinion on who the best captain of the IPL between Mumbai Indians' Rohit Sharma and Chennai Super Kings' MS Dhoni is.
Dhoni synonymous with Chennai
"I will give my vote to Dhoni, because from the very first year, he has played for a single franchise. He has played a huge role in making the franchise successful. The way he has captained his team has been extraordinary. Other captains also have done well and have won the tournament. But I think, overall, my vote will definitely go to Dhoni."
"If you look at the trophies - Rohit Sharma has won 5 trophies, while MS Dhoni has won 4. I have played for both teams. My heart still keeps beating for Mumbai Indians till today since I have played there for 10 years but those two years at CSK taught me a lot. It showed me how MS Dhoni took this team forward. No doubt, he had limited resources, a slow wicket (at Chepauk), but despite all of that, to assemble a team, is great. It goes to show how brilliantly he handled the team, " added Harbhajan Singh.
Pressure of performance
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan picked Rohit Sharma as the best captain from the IPL so far.
"The combination of CSK and MS Dhoni is admirable and there's no doubt about that. CSK always had their team set. With Mumbai Indians, it's not easy to handle the pressure. Of course, the pressure of performance is always there, and we all know how tough it is to manage that. So, Rohit Sharma, with his numbers and the entire background, the way he has managed all that, is way ahead of the rest."
