Jonty Rhodes finds similarity in Rohit Sharma with Jacques Kallis

Former South African cricketer, who is presently in India, mentoring the Trichy Warriors in the ongoing Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), has drawn comparisons with his Mumbai Indians skipper with fellow South African teammate Jacques Kallis, due to his laid back demeanour.

Jonty Rhodes has shared the dressing room with Jacques Kallis during his playing days and has seen Rohit Sharma within close quarters as the South African is the fielding coach of Mumbai Indians. Rhodes stated that the manner with which the right hander bats gives the impression that he is going fall asleep but eventually hits you for a six.

“I have only played against (Virat) Kohli as the fielding coach of Mumbai Indians, ABD (AB de Villiers) – I haven’t seen him as a captain at all, so I can only speak with authority on Rohit Sharma, Rohit looks like a laid-back kind of guy. I remember Jacques Kallis saying how people were critical of his approach and he didn’t look like a guy who was trying,” commented Jonty Rhodes during his interview posted on TNPL website.

Rhodes on strength of Kohli and MS

“He had a bit calm exterior, like Lance Klusener back in my day. It looked like everything was under control, but Jacques said he was fluttering hard and fast underneath and Rohit is like that too. When you watch him at the crease when he is batting it, looks like he will fall asleep but he cracks you for six, it is ridiculous!” claimed the mentor of Trichy Warriors.

He then praised the current crop of Indian fielders and commended their fitness by crediting two of the fittest men in Indian cricket-Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, for bringing out the change in culture for Indian cricket. “Both have been physically strong men, from MSD to Virat Kohli. So fitness is something like having the athletic ability. The Indian make-up was evident in the last World Cup and when they played South Africa, they were the better fielding unit. The run-outs from the boundary, that has changed,” concluded Rhodes.