What defines the tenure of any captain in international cricket is the trophies and tournaments he wins. It is ultimately the results that count and reputation, calibre and individual brilliance is of little relevance in the larger context.
From that perspective, Rohit Sharma's comments recently that he was someone who does not bother so much about his legacy becomes interesting.
It is perhaps Rohit's personal opinion that he doesn't worry so much about how he will be remembered but he is at a stage in his career where being the skipper, it is the trophies that he wins that will define his legacy.
10 years since India's last ICC trophy
India are starved of trophies and especially major international silverware for years now. It has been 10 years since they last won an ICC championship title and all eyes will be on Rohit's captaincy in the build-up to the World Cup.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2013 under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy was the last ICC global title which India won and thereafter it's been one failure after another.
Losing two 50-over World Cup semifinals in 2015 and 2019 and in between a shock defeat to Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final.
To make it worse losing two World Test Championship finals in 2021 and 2023 to New Zealand and Australia, respectively.
With an assortment of setbacks in the background, Rohit will realise deep down that victory at the upcoming Asia Cup, which is expected to be highly competitive, and ofcourse more importantly the World Cup, will seal his legacy as one of India's greatest ODI skippers.
Sunil Gavaskar chips in
The reaction by Indian batting legend Suni Gavaskar about Rohit Sharma's comments on legacy speaks volumes about how the cricketing fraternity sees things.
The great man had said it's all down to the trophies he's going to win here on.
"At the end of the day you are judged by the number of trophies you have won, the numbers of wins you have. Winning these two tournaments will make him one of India's greatest skippers," Gavaskar had said.
Over to Rohit Sharma's Team India
Virat Kohli was instrumental in taking India to great heights as a team that could win Test matches especially with a fearsome fast bowling pack and play an aggressive brand of cricket.
However, with all the emphasis on fitness and playing with aggression, the Kohli template yielded results but got no major ICC trophies and that was always the dampener.
Now, Rohit has an opportunity to turn the tide as a skipper by clinching these major trophies that are in the reckoning.
It will be the crowning jewel in Rohit Sharma's career to add to all the glittering achievements and milestones with his batting straps.
