“Captain Dhoni found a spot for Rohit”: R Sridhar reveals how MS Dhoni made Rohit Sharma open in ICC Champions Trophy 2013

The former Indian fielding coach R Sridhar has revealed that MS Dhoni wanted Rohit Sharma to play anyhow in the Champions Trophy 2013.

It is safe to say that the idea of opening the innings with Rohit Sharma in the 2013 Champions Trophy changed his fortunes. Rohit, who made his ODI debut way back in 2007, was always in and out of the team. Everybody agreed that Rohit had the talent, but he did not get ample opportunities.

Rohit is now one of the greats of the white-ball format, and he is the only player to score three double-centuries in ODIs. He has scored 9376 ODI runs at 48.58, with the help of 29 centuries and 45 half-centuries. He is now the captain of the Indian team in all formats of the game.

R Sridhar reveals MS Dhoni was keen on playing Rohit Sharma

Former Indian fielding coach R Sridhar has revealed how MS Dhoni was the one who decided to play Rohit Sharma at the top order with Shikhar Dhawan in the 2013 Champions Trophy. Rohit was selected in the team as a middle-order batter, but Dinesh Karthik was in brilliant form for that very spot.

Dhoni wanted Rohit to play anyhow in the team, so he decided to take a punt of opening Rohit with Shikhar in the opening game against South Africa. Both of them stitched a century partnership in the first match itself to prove the decision of MS Dhoni right.

“There was one decision made by Dhoni in 2013 Champions Trophy to send Rohit to open. Dinesh (Karthik) was batting so well in the practice games, but Rohit had to play… so the management then, mostly captain Dhoni, found a spot for Rohit at the top of the order. That was a brilliant move,” Sridhar told cricket.com.

#OnThisDay in 2013, India went on to clinch the Champions Trophy after defeating England in a rain-affected final.

The event was memorable in many ways:

⏩ Rohit Sharma’s foray as an opener
⏩ Last ICC event won by India
⏩ Dhoni completed a hat-trick of ICC titles. pic.twitter.com/P3VVRpKO67

— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) June 23, 2021

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan played a key part in the Champions Trophy 2013 success of the Indian team. Dhawan was the highest run-scorer of the tournament with 363 runs at 90.75, with the help of 2 centuries and 1 half-century. Rohit was the 4th highest run-scorer with 177 runs at 35.40, courtesy of a couple of half-centuries.