Rohit Sharma of India bats during game three of the One Day International series between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on October 25, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo: Ayush Kumar/Getty Images) Former India head coach Rahul Dravid heaped heaping praise on captain Rohit Sharma, crediting him for changing the team’s approach in T20 cricket and setting new global standards for aggressive batting.Talking about India’s development in the shortest format, Dravid said the shift to a fearless, high-scoring style was a conscious move he and Rohit took after he took charge.
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“I can’t speak for what happened in front of me. It’s not for me to say that,” Dravid said on a new episode of Breakfast of Champions.“But certainly since I came in a lot of discussions with Rohit, we wanted to play more aggressive cricket. We started right from the beginning. Because we saw that’s the way the game was going.”“And Rohit has to take a lot of credit for that. To take the team in a particular direction. Play the game much more aggressively and much more positively.” Dravid further said that India’s explosive batting in T20Is has redefined the format.“I’m glad we’ve kept going in that direction to the point where I think India is kind of literally absolutely… I think it’s going to change what T20 cricket is like. I think India’s batting in T20 cricket is off the charts at the moment. I mean it’s close to 300. And everybody else in the world has to catch up now. We have to deal with that,” he added.
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While admitting that coaches play a role in instilling confidence in the players, Dravid stressed that the real credit goes to the players and leaders who take risks on the field.“I wouldn’t say like me. I would say these players. It’s the players who do it.” “I mean, I’m not saying I shouldn’t get any credit. But the leaders have to drive it. The captain has to drive it.”“The players have to drive it. Because they have to. They have to take risks. Maybe you give them some level of certainty, but ultimately they’re the ones who have to take those chances, take those risks.”
