New Delhi, September 2: Former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes believes that India’s ODI captain Shubman Gill should take advantage of the experience of senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining his own captaincy style and mindset.
Rhodes stated that leading at the international level is not easy and comes with significant pressure. However, he is confident that Shubman Gill can handle this challenge effectively and prove to be a successful captain. Since taking over as ODI captain last October, Gill has won six matches and lost six, resulting in a win percentage of 50. In a conversation with ‘GeoStar’, Rhodes remarked, “As a leader, the most important thing is to recognize that you have senior players around you. Seeking help, advice, or ideas is not a bad thing for your captaincy.”
The former player further noted, “Clearly, as a leader and captain, the final decision rests with you. Managing experienced players can often be the most challenging aspect. They all provide you with great options, but the decision is yours. This is why having players like Rohit and Virat alongside Gill, while maintaining his energy level, is crucial. His behavior as a captain and as a player has always been consistent. As long as he doesn’t try to become someone else—which is impossible under pressure, as you revert to your true self—everything will be fine. He has quickly found his rhythm.”
As a co-owner of the Rotterdam Dockers in the European T20 Premier League, Rhodes believes that teams participating in the 2027 Cricket World Cup must adapt swiftly to varying conditions. This tournament will be co-hosted by South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
He explained that the conditions for matches played by the sea differ significantly from those in high-altitude cities like Johannesburg and Pretoria. Therefore, teams need to understand the conditions everywhere to devise their strategies. Rhodes also mentioned that just as the ETP League promotes cricket in Europe, countries like Namibia and Zimbabwe play a vital role in advancing the sport through World Cup hosting.
Rhodes noted that South African pitches are generally good for batting, resulting in minimal struggle between bat and ball. The ball comes onto the bat well, allowing batsmen to play their shots easily. He praised Indian batsmen for quickly adapting to modern cricket, especially excelling at playing innovative shots like ramps and scoops. Indian players effectively execute these shots by getting close to the ball, which is a significant strength.
Regarded as one of the best fielders in cricket history, Rhodes gained worldwide recognition for his famous run-out of Inzamam-ul-Haq during the 1992 World Cup. However, he revealed that his fondest memory is from a match against the West Indies at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai a year later.
“That run-out in the World Cup kickstarted my career. Suddenly, people began to pay attention to fielding. However, I believe my best day on the field was during the Hero Cup in 1993 at the CCI Brabourne Stadium. South Africa was playing against the West Indies, and there were over 20,000 spectators. I took five catches, and later I learned that it set a world record for fielding. I didn’t even know records existed for fielding; it was just something I enjoyed doing.”
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