Jonty Rhodes, one of the best fielders ever to play the game, now steps into a new role as the co-owner of the Rotterdam Dockers in the inaugural season of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL). Speaking to JioStar, Rhodes weighed in on what makes Virat Kohli special, why Team India will benefit from Rohit Sharma's experience at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, and his favourite cricketing memory.
Speaking to JioStar, Rotterdam Dockers co-owner Jonty Rhodes explained why Rohit Sharma’s experience will be important for Team India at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027:
"You've got to remember that having experience at a World Cup is another factor that we don't factor in. We look at the talent of the players, the ability that they've got and their performances. Maybe they've had a great knock and had a good season. But when it comes down to pressure moments, a World Cup is very much high pressure. Players can look after themselves physically, but that mental strength is something that we don't often factor in when it comes to selection. But as somebody who's played in four Cricket World Cups without getting past two semi-finals, I know how stressful it can become. So having someone like Rohit Sharma in your squad is such an asset at a World Cup."
On what stands out about Virat Kohli:
"We have watched Australia win so many World Cups and seen their aggression and the expectation to win almost. And I think that's what Virat has been. He has had this absolute hunger to win games for his team. When you're the leader and the captain of a setup, and you can consistently be the best chaser in the world, it just shows how determined you are to be the guy that gets the team over the line. When he chases down scores for such a long period of time, he has been the ultimate finisher of the game for India. From that perspective, he feeds off that aggression. He doesn't mind when he's batting. A lot of players don't want to lose their concentration. If he's batting, he'll get stuck in as well. So he's certainly somebody who loves the contest and loves the fight. He just has such a huge drive to win games for India, and whether he's captain or not, he'll still have that drive. He just wants India to win."
On Shubman Gill's captaincy:
"The key with being a leader is understanding that you've got these senior players around you, and it's not a negative mark on your captaincy if you ask around for help, or for opinions and ideas. Obviously, as the leader and the captain, you have to make the final choice. That's often the hardest thing about captaining so many experienced players, they all give you great options, but you now have to make the call. So, having the likes of Rohit and Virat in your setup, and Shubman has been pretty consistent in his energy levels, the way that he conducts himself as a captain, and prior to that, as a player, it's all very consistent. As long as he's not trying to be anybody else, which is impossible, because when you're under pressure, you always revert back to who you really are. He's gotten to that stride very quickly."
On what players need to keep in mind in terms of fielding, with the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 being held in South Africa:
"It's interesting because what is impacted in the field is often the altitude. If you play at the coast, it's different to playing in Johannesburg or Pretoria, where altitude affects it. Similar to what we're trying to do with the ETPL, bringing cricket into Europe, we've also got Namibia and Zimbabwe, who are co-hosting the Cricket World Cup. The wickets in South Africa are pretty good, so there is not going to be much contest between bat and ball. There is good carry. I think from a point of view where you can hit down the line or through the line of the ball, as opposed to using the pace to run the ball down, the Indian players ramp the ball so well. They get inside and scoop the ball so well, so they've adapted really quickly to the modern world of cricket."
On his favourite cricketing memory:
"That run-out at the World Cup launched my career. People suddenly took notice of fielding. But I think the most amazing day for me in the field was when we were playing at Brabourne Stadium at CCI in 1993, the Hero Cup. South Africa were playing against the West Indies, and there were 20,000 people in the crowd. I took five catches, which afterwards I was told was a world record for fielding. I didn't even know there were records for fielding, it was just something that I loved doing. You kind of expect adoration and support in your own country, but when you're touring, and it was a neutral venue, we weren't playing against India. So, having 20,000 Indian fans chanting, 'Jonty, Jonty,' was something I will never, ever forget."
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