As Rohit Sharma moves toward the latter stages of his illustrious career, his batting approach has undergone a noticeable transformation. The Indian captain has adopted a more aggressive style, a shift that has significantly benefited the team, particularly in major ICC white-ball tournaments. This strategy has played a crucial role in India’s remarkable run across three global events — the 2023 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the recent Champions Trophy where they have suffered just one defeat.
For years, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the backbone of India’s batting lineup in all the formats. Their presence has provided the team with stability and firepower and even after their recent retirement from T20Is following India’s triumphant campaign last year, they remain central to the team’s plans in Tests and ODIs.
The former Australian cricketer Aaron Finch believes that Rohit Sharma’s ability to attack bowlers from the start has been largely supported by the presence of Virat Kohli at number three. Aaron Finch explained that Rohit has had the reassurance of knowing that a dependable batter follows him, allowing him to take risks more freely. He emphasised that while an aggressive approach can be effective, a team cannot have every player attempting to go all out from the very first ball. According to him, Rohit Sharma has found a successful balance, utilising his natural attacking instincts while trusting Virat Kohli to anchor the innings when needed.
With the upcoming IPL 2025, Virat Kohli is set to return his focus to T20 cricket. Aaron Finch expressed confidence that the star batter has the ability to increase his strike rate, making him even more dangerous in the shortest format. However, he also pointed out that Virat Kohli’s more measured approach often stems from the situations he finds himself in, particularly with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he has frequently had to stabilise the innings after early setbacks.
Aaron Finch noted that if Virat Kohli increases his scoring rate slightly, he has all the skills to maintain consistency without compromising his game. However, he stressed the importance of having a solid top-order batter who ensures a steady flow of runs, as it allows the rest of the batting lineup to play with greater freedom and take more risks.
As India continues to dominate world cricket, the combination of Rohit Sharma’s explosive starts and Virat Kohli’s reliable presence remains a key factor in their success. Their contrasting yet complementary styles have been instrumental in shaping India’s batting approach, ensuring balance and effectiveness across formats.
