Farhan Akhtar urges praise for Rohit Sharma’s selfless choice, not criticism

Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar recently expressed his support for Rohit Sharma‘s decision to skip the Sydney Test. He praised Sharma’s captaincy and described him as a ‘superstar.’ He questioned why Sharma is facing criticism for his selfless decision instead of being praised for prioritising the team’s chances of winning over his personal performance.
Akhtar shared his thoughts in an Instagram post, emphasising Sharma’s contributions to Indian cricket and his successful captaincy record. He also highlighted Sharma’s exceptional batting skills and numerous outstanding innings.
“Just have to get this off my chest… This guy has done so much for Indian cricket and captained our team incredibly well and successfully over the years. His skill with the bat speaks for itself, and there have been innumerable innings in which he’s shown us the elite level he performs at,” Akhtar wrote.

Akhtar acknowledged that cricket can be challenging and that even the best players experience periods of poor form.
“Yes, this sport can be cruel, and you’d be hard-pressed to come up with the name of a cricketer who hasn’t gone through a lean period. We’ve seen the greatest batsmen and bowlers struggle for form. At times, we’ve secretly wished they would take a break, find their form in domestic cricket or the nets, and then make a comeback. You’d be hard-pressed to think of someone, more so a captain, who did that voluntarily,” Akhtar remarked.
He raised an important question about the impact such negative reactions might have on players’ willingness to prioritise team success in the future.
“Now here’s a guy who’s putting his team’s chances of winning ahead of himself finding form, and instead of being applauded for his selflessness, the majority is tearing him down. Ask yourself: why would anyone do this again if this is how the world responds to a man thinking of the larger cause rather than his own glory?”
He thanked Sharma for demonstrating his commitment to the team over individual achievements. He emphasised the strength of character required to make such a decision, recognising it as a hallmark of great leadership.
“Rohit Sharma, you’re a superstar. You know what you’re doing, and I know you won’t let the negativity get you down. But I just want to say thank you for showing the world that you put the team before the individual. It’s a hard thing to do, and only the strongest of mind and heart can do it. That’s what makes a great leader. See you back on the field soon.”
Sharma’s recent batting performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been a subject of discussion. He has averaged only 6.2 runs across three Test matches against Australia, with a top score of just 10.
His batting form has declined further since missing the Perth Test due to the birth of his second child. He has not scored more than 10 runs in any of his last five innings.