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Management Learnings from ‘The Hitman’- Rohit Sharma

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Captain Rohit Bhai

I earnestly believe that Team Sports at the highest levels provide a lot of learning for Corporate Management. There is no place to hide. It’s all out there happening in the open in an acutely competitive atmosphere. Goof-ups and crisis management; injuries and replacements; bonding and friction; Ups and downs; temperament and the Never Say Die spirit; leadership and rising up to the occasion; teamwork and collaboration; communication and defining roles; analytics and research; planning and execution. Hence my earlier blogs on ‘Management Lessons from Sports’, ‘The Gift of Captaincy’, and ‘Management Lessons from The Thala- MS Dhoni’- the last posted after CSK won a thrilling IPL final last year.

Rohit Sharma’s so-called laid-back demeanor hides the profound impact he has had both as a captain and batter for India and the IPL franchise. His affable, grounded, pragmatic approach has caught the attention of cricket pundits, cricketing legends, and cricket buffs all over the world. Some of the parallels with MSD are striking and The Thala’s influence is palpable. Rohit Sharma suddenly became the captain of Mumbai Indians in 2013 with Icons and seniors like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Harbhajan Singh, and Malinga in the squad. Anil Kumble, then associated with MI, remembers that he was completely unfazed and self-assured. Like MSD with the India captaincy, he gave the stalwarts Respect and Space and seamlessly aligned them for the Team’s cause. The Mumbai side picked up its first IPL trophy in 2013. It was also in the same year that Dhoni promoted this middle-order batter to open for India in the Champions Trophy and the rest is history. The Rohit Sharma- Shikhar Dhawan partnership. Dinesh Karthick ( w/k batsman) who was also part of the MI team has observed that the omission from India’s 2011 World Cup team shook him up and he developed the quiet, steely resolve to make every match and tournament count.

‘I have tried to keep it simple. One thing- clear communication to the players. I have tried to make sure that they understand their roles and that’s what it’s all about. Understanding their roles  and going out there and performing their roles.’ Another page out of MSD’s Captaincy manual. Sadly in the corporate sector, there are many employees, especially on the front line who do not understand their roles, contributions, and value to the team, office, or organization as a whole. The positive energy of team synergy and getting the bigger picture is missing. In the vertical or silo systems embraced by many Companies in the Service Sector, the sense of disengagement is even more pronounced and bureaucracy kicks in. Customer Service is the first casualty.

The unique Rohit-bhai takeaway is ‘that there has to be a sense of relaxation as well because it is important to keep the atmosphere light and cheerful’.  But this coin has not dropped with some at the senior levels of corporate hierarchy and even at Board levels. Employee productivity and performance spike if the work atmosphere and culture are congenial- leading to better results and a more robust balance sheet. Virat Kohli calls Rohit ‘the funniest person in the Indian dressing room.’ His tapori language (Mumbai street lingo) and chilled-out behavior are both endearing and calming. The super intense Kohli seems to be enjoying his cricket as never before, laughing and joking with the team.  No overweening egos, no insecurity, no camps. Reaching out and Bonding. The Hitman and The King are Bros for the Indian cricket mission. True, the stump-mic has caught the captain scolding and using cuss words with some team members on the field. But as Rohit Sharma simply puts it, ‘It’s not to hurt anyone. It’s just to make sure they are on the job and are thinking about the team.’ Other funny stump-mic comments have gone viral. In the third T-20 match against Afghanistan he got off the mark with a boundary down the leg-side but umpire Virendra Sharma signalled leg-byes. He approached the umpire with ‘Arrey Viru, thigh-pad diya kya? Bat laga tha. Already mere do zero ho gaya.’ (Did you give it as leg-byes. It hit the bat. In my previous 2 innings I have got ducks.). The Indian commentators in the box doubled up laughing.

Listen in to the Skipper’s report card ( on YouTube -Cricket Boy) on how the Men in Blue performed in their magnificent 4-1 Test win against an England team on a Bazball roll. First, the series-defining partnership by Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav at Ranchi. The emotions around Sarfaraz Khan winning his India cap at the Rajkot Test.  How many years earlier he had played with the father Naushad in the Kanga league. Jaiswal’s dominating double century at Vizag. Bumrah’s 6-wicket spell in the same Test- reverse swinging the ball on a flat track in hot and humid conditions. The best fast-bowling display he has witnessed in India. The ‘legend’ of Ashwin and the brilliant return of the match-winning Kuldeep Yadav. Appreciative mentions of Gill and Jadeja. Special mention of how much he has enjoyed playing with these passionate young cricketers. No mention of his captaincy except to say that he had learned many things during the series. No mention of missing the likes of Kohli, Rahul, Shami, and Pant in the team. When have you last heard of a Corporate Captain being so warm and fulsome in his praise for his team? Teams matter. Corporate heads are representative of their teams. When the team performs well, a generous amount of credit rubs off on the leader.

Rohit-Bhai has been the Big Brother or the ‘Go-to’ man even before he was appointed as captain. You will see his hand over the shoulder of a dejected Kuldeep Yadav who had a bad day at the office. According to Parthiv Patel, ‘Rohit whole-heartedly supports his players even when they are grappling with difficulties demonstrating an unwavering faith in their abilities. There is an unparalleled sense of calmness in the team.’ He then refers to the case of Bumrah brought in by the MI scouts in 2014. By 2015, the management was pondering to send him back after half of the season. But the captain staunchly believed in his abilities and in 2016, the journey of India’s premier fast bowler across formats began. Likewise, Hardik Pandya’s entry in 2015 and after a lack-luster 2016 season many at MI were showing him the exit door. Again, the leader supports the player giving Pandya the chance to become the player he is today. Very ironic, isn’t it? Considering the recent developments at the franchise.

The Captain has to be a good mentor to bring about the best in her/his team. This is a critical attribute to anyone at the Senior or Middle Management levels handling a sizable team. Companies and Institutions unfortunately do not factor in this ‘X’ factor in the KRA’s and Appraisals. It’s all about numbers. So a person with a 15-year innings pops up on the radar as a Cost to Company (CTC). What the team leader is quietly doing daily behind the scenes is overlooked- training and motivating the team, sharing experiences, developing a second line- all fall through the cracks. One of the most critical attributes of an effective Manager- mentoring- is simply shrugged off.

R Ashwin’s exit from Team India after the second day of the Rajkot Test tells a heart-warming story. .The Test match was evenly poised and with the series itself at stake we have Rohit Sharma and Coach Rahul Dravid persuading their main bowler to take the BCCI arranged charter flight to Chennai to attend to his ailing, hospitalised mother. The star spinner then re-joins the Men in Blue on the 4th day of the Test with his recovering mother insisting that her son not let down the national cricket team. Little wonder, that in an emotional video posted on his YouTube channel Ashwin says, ‘I would give my life for him on the field, that’s the kind of captain he is.’ We have an increasing treadmill corporate culture where leave applications for genuine reasons are frowned upon and even family time on weekends is being compromised.

Rohit Sharma has a sharp cricketing brain and reads the game well. Zaheer Khan has this to say, ‘Rohit acts according to the situation, and many times they are different from what may have been planned in the run-up to the game.’ In corporate life also at times long-term planning and rigid structures become constrictive and hold back the Company from changing course pragmatically, especially in dynamic market conditions. Plus the Cool factor he brings to play. Hence no panic buttons after the disappointing loss at Hyderabad from a position of strength. Instead, a determined come-back to dismantle Bazball. Astute handling of bowlers and smart field placements frustrated the English batters and they collapsed like a pack of cards multiple times in the Test series. Another important learning is how the India captain did not hesitate to pick on the brains of key players like Bumrah and Ashwin. A good leader should be open to ideas and suggestions from the core-group and resonating from the ground. The Ivory Tower syndrome has to be avoided at all costs.

Leadership is not bequeathed through job titles or the size of the corner office. Every Corporate leader or Manager worth her/his salt has to earn the respect and trust of the team members by setting the right example and by leading from the front. ‘The Hitman’ ticks all the boxes across all formats of the game. A Test batting average of 45+ over 59 Tests, more than 10,000 runs over 292 ODI, and a Strike Rate of 92; almost 4000 runs in 151 T-20s at a Strike Rate of almost 140 which puts him in the Sehwag league. He has scored hundreds and double hundreds; changed games with his sixes and fours and played many cameo knocks which have made a difference. In the ODI World Cup 2023, he was the second-highest run-getter after Virat Kohli (765 runs in 11 innings) with 597 runs in 11 knocks. Many cricket commentators have lauded his totally unselfish approach of providing a rollicking start to the India innings. The ICC named him as captain of the ICC World Cup team which had 6 Indian players.

The other wonderful dimension he has brought to the game as a batter is the sheer elegance and power he brings to the crease. King Kohli says that ‘he has never seen anyone time the ball like him.’ Kapil Dev captures his Master-Class batting as,’ attractive, effortless and with all the time in the world.’ Sachin Tendulkar has observed to the effect ‘that once Rohit gets into the zone, the poor bowler does not know where to bowl.’ After he made it to ‘The Wisden 5 cricketers of the Year-2022 along with Bumrah) an article in the Almanack celebrated his sublime stroke play and especially highlighted his pull, cover drive, and back-foot punch as perfection.

There is a select group of corporates who have kept their eye on the ball – not losing sight of the fundamentals, the processes, and especially the people. But others focus only on the top-line and bottom-line and pay scant attention to the growing void at the centre.

Back to the Rohit Sharma story. The man who took the Mumbai Indians to 5 IPL titles has been abruptly replaced by Hardik Pandya. The transition could have been handled with more grace and transparency. Instead, it smacks of board-room intrigue, disrespect to the man who has contributed so much to the franchise, and a lack of basic decency and sporting spirit. However, the break from the burdens of leadership can prove to be a blessing in disguise. Fortunately for us, he remains the captain of the Men in Blue for the ICC T 20 World Cup later this year and if he keeps his focus and form we may see the Last Hurrah from Captain Rohit-Bhai at the World Test championship in June next year.

Is The IPL Losing Its Appeal??!!

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Is the popularity of the Indian Premier cricket League going down? The tell-tale signs are all around.  Even 2 or 3 years ago, millions of fans were glued to the TV whenever their favourite player or team was in action. The next day, the match was the talking point amongst friends and in colleges and offices. Bars and Pubs were packed during key IPL fixtures for the high of the collective sporting spectacle experience. Such was the draw of the tournament that no major film was released during this period. Going to the stadium to watch a game with family and friends was an event to celebrate and to revel in through multiple shared selfies. Now, all that buzz and chatter has gone. Even many devout cricket followers are not clued in to which teams played the previous night. Those animated discussions have died down. The charm of the game has in a sense worn off.

In the first week of IPL 2022, TV viewership (as per BARC) dropped from 267 million to 229 million. The second week took the decline to 33%. The huge success story of the IPL is wrapped around TRP and TV viewership. Now there is a growing concern amongst advertisers and sports marketing professionals about the monetisation potential of this 2 month-long tournament.  Public interest is waning; eyeball counts have dropped. But the BCCI lives in a bubble. From 2023-27, the Board is seeking to double the media rights from Rs 16,500 crs to Rs 33,000 crores. The same over-the-top spirit persuaded the RPG Goenka group to bid more than Rs 7000 crs to get the rights for the new franchise-Lucknow Super Giants.  Dr Goenka believes that LSG will be worth more than $ 2 billion in just 2 years. I say, talk about hitting the ball out of the park!!!!!! The  CVC Capitals won the rights for the Ahmedabad based Gujarat Titans by shelling out a mammoth Rs 5625 crs.  Look at even the supporting cast of players. Pruthvi Shaw, who has not yet proved to be an Impact player or crowd-puller has been retained by DC for Rs 7.5 crs. Venkatesh Iyer (KKR) and Abdul Samad  (SRH) who were auctioned for Rs 20 lakhs just a year back have moved into the Rs 8 crs and Rs 4 crs zone, I suppose on the basis of potential?!  Hard-nosed businessmen seem to have been bowled over by the allure of cricket.

Some of the stakeholders and pundits have shrugged off this slump as a temporary phase. The heat wave and the exam season have not helped matters. Scheduling of afternoon matches has been a blunder. The blip is because favoured teams like CSK and MI have been underperforming; superstars like Virat Kohli, MSD and Rohit Sharma are having a lean patch. And all the matches are being played out in Mumbai, Pune and finally in Ahmedabad. The local fan fervour is missing. Point taken.

But are we missing the willow wood for the trees? Is there an overdose of cricket in India?? The IPL now has 10 teams-74 matches- over 65 days. The Indian cricket team has a busy schedule and tours across the 3 formats. So the volume of cricket served to the Indian cricket fan is very heavy. Is this overdose of cricket not being digested?! Furthermore, the fare served in the Premier League has become monotonous and predictable. Intensity and competitiveness are lacking. Those tight, edge-of-the-seat matches have become rare. Rather than hard-fought team contests with flashes of brilliance and super skills, the tournament has become more about PR and hype and a glamour circus. The loyal and even frenzied following enjoyed by a Manchester United or Arsenal in the EPL or Barcelona and Real Madrid in the La Liga have been built up over decades. There is a glorious history and tradition attached to the clubs with classic rivalries and the marquee players. The IPL is only 15 years old. Most of the viewership has not been built around the teams but around the celebrity personas of King Kohli and Thala MSD. Players like Chris Gayle, ABD or Rashid Khan have added to the TRP ratings. But the celebrations or disappointment is not acute or heartfelt as most fans are not really invested in any team. For instance, the vociferous support on social media for RCB to win the trophy for the first time is driven largely by the cult of Kohli. But I do hope that the Bengaluru team wins. If only to see Virat Kohli back with match-winning knocks in India colors.

It is high time that the format be changed to make the game more interesting. Commentator Aakash Chopra has come out with some game-changing ideas. The key one being that a team winning the game comprehensively within 10 overs should get bonus points. This will keep the competition simmering till late into the league matches phase as an X factor. Another oft-heard recommendation is the inclusion of 5 foreign players in the playing XI to boost the standard and quality of the cricket. Likewise only the most experienced and best umpires should take the field in this elite league, helped and supported by the best solutions technology has to offer. Another interesting idea is that of a strategic substitute. A batter or bowler can voluntarily retire to make way for a substitute from the dug-out who can best deliver in that game situation with the rider that this be a one-off option with the substitute player having not yet actively played in the match.

It is also high time that the powers that be introduced the football yellow and red card practice in this tournament. The yellow card as a caution or warning to a cricketer who sledges, curses and abuses, throws tantrums or wastes time or cheats. The red card to evict a crass player who has really crossed the line of acceptable behaviour. With no substitution allowed and the guilty being benched for the next match also and with a punitive monetary deterrent in place. The celebrity bubble-dom of IPL cricket has taken its toll on good sportsmanship which once enhanced the charm and dignity of the game of cricket.  The raw aggression of Kohli has found many, many admirers amongst his legion of fans but has also rubbed off on many of our younger stars. In IPL 2022 itself, we have seen a seething Pant send his coach Pravin Amre onto the field to protest an umpiring call while possibly gesturing to his batters to come back; KL Rahul’s consistent breaches of fair play as captain; Hardik Pandya’s gaalis at his own senior team-mate Shami;  most disappointingly Rohit Sharma’s expansion of his coarse vocabulary even as he fails to score runs.  The players need to be held to a higher standard. The blatant commercialisation of the IPL and its vacuous culture has to be reined in.  Perhaps with cricket marketed as entertainment, the IPL is going the WWE way. Unfortunately, our TV experts and even well-known ex-cricketers have morphed into cheerleaders and PR spin masters as they have jumped onto the gravy train. The game of cricket is the loser. An interesting aside is that in a recent of his never-ending interviews ex-coach Shastri declared that he had moulded the Indian cricket team to match the relentless aggression of the Australians, “If the other sledged, give back to him threefold. Twice in your own language and once in English.” The young stars are certainly making their mentor proud. Wonder what ‘Indiranagar ka goonda’ thinks about all this.

The dark side of the tournament is fairly recent history. Match-fixing and spot-fixing, which resulted in CSK and RR being banned for 2 years. But the biggies involved got away without even a slap on the wrist. The danger lurks around the corner in the form of the underworld betting and drug syndicates. The IPL is very vulnerable and another major fixing scandal can take down the entire IPL edifice. Even the most passionate Indian cricket followers will lose their faith in the game. This is one area where the administrators and security people cannot take their eyes off the ball. The Sharjah tournament of the 90’s was controlled by the D Company with Asif Iqbal, the Pakistani cricketer, as the flagbearer.

Indian and world cricket have certainly benefitted manifold from this cash-rich league. The fitness of cricketers is now front and centre and this is clearly seen in the fielding agility and the athleticism on the cricket field. It will be befitting if this third dimension of the game- fielding- is given more prominence through the IPL cameras. With our youngsters rubbing shoulders with foreign greats, their confidence levels and cricketing skills have primed up. Plus the opportunities that the tournament has opened up for talented aspirants from across the country- remember Bumrah was spotted by MI scouts and nurtured by the franchise before he became India’s strike bowler. Then there is the heart–warming story about how it has helped put Afghan cricket on the world map.

India is at the epicentre of global cricket with BCCI being the richest cricket body. But the Board may well be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. The Indian passion for cricket has been ignited and fuelled over generations by the achievements of the national cricket team. The fortunes of the IPL is irrevocably tied to the performance of the Men in Blue. Over the last many years, the team has flattered to deceive at the majors. The entire focus and planning should be on winning the trophies at the ICC tournaments across formats and being triumphant on the SENA tours. Our best players should be rested to avoid the fatigue and burn-out of non-stop cricket. There should be acclimatized- warm-up matches in the run-up to an important overseas series. The Miracle Down Under with Rahane at the helm was savoured and feted by cricket followers all over the country and served as a humongous boost for the game. The Indian cricket fan will have no patience or regard for get-rich-quick IPL players if they do not give their all for the India cap and flag. Sincerely hope that the cricket administrators, selectors, players and pundits see beyond the glitter and the money; that they value and respect and appreciate what the game of cricket really means to the people of this vast land.