VVS Laxman Hails Rohit Sharma: 'Took Ownership of Decision as a Leader After Wrong Call at Toss'

Former India cricketer and NCA head VVS Laxman on Friday praised Rohit Sharma for taking ownership of the wrong call at the toss in the first Test against New Zealand, saying that he does a “phenomenal job” in leading by example.

Rohit’s decision to bat first in the opening Test backfired horribly as India were shot out for a mere 46 inside 32 overs, recording their third lowest total in 593 Tests and lowest-ever in 293 matches on home soil.

The Indian captain fronted the media after end of play on Thursday and acknowledged that he erred in reading the M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch, while citing that not all calls taken by leadership can always be right.

“For leaders, it’s humanly impossible not to make mistakes. We won the toss and we elected to bat first and it was counterproductive (because) we were bowled out for 46,” Laxman told a gathering at the Security Now 2024 conference by Seclore here.

“Who went to the press conference? It was Rohit Sharma. He accepted that ‘yes, I misread the wicket’. Leaders take that ownership of (their) decisions.”

“It’s not necessary that every time the decisions are right, but you take the ownership and then whenever the team doesn’t do well, you go and face the flak. Whenever the team does well, you promote the guy who actually requires that recognition and that limelight,” he added.

While citing preparations and having a roadmap as important elements for success, Laxman said great leaders are the best performers in any team and Rohit has done a “phenomenal job” with this Indian team.

“Great leaders are the best performers in a particular team, (a) classical example is Rohit Sharma. What he has done, the way he’s leading the Indian team, is just phenomenal,” Laxman said.

“He (has) told (his teammates) that, ‘okay, this is the style of cricket I want our team to play’, and he’s going out and doing that, (the) selfless style of batting and playing the game.”

“In the bargain, that can (also) impact and affect his performance. But he’s making that decision and that bold statement saying ‘I’ll back you as long as you go out and play the brand I want our Indian team to play’,” he said.

(With inputs from Agencies)