India’s ODI captain Rohit Sharma has long been praised not only for his cricketing brilliance but also for his leadership qualities and his ability to back young talent through tough times. Former Mumbai Indians (MI) leg-spinner Rahul Chahar has now shared an emotional memory from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 season, where he said Rohit’s simple gesture changed his mindset after one of his worst outings. During his stint with MI, the franchise dominated the IPL with a strong batting order featuring Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock, and Suryakumar Yadav. Chahar was the team’s leading wrist-spinner at the time before eventually moving to Punjab Kings and most recently to Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Recalling the incident, Chahar spoke about how Rohit’s calm words kept him going despite a very poor performance. “There is one incident I can never forget in life. It was our semifinal against Delhi in IPL. I had gone for around 30 runs in 2 overs and I was walking with my head down. Rohit bhaiya held my hand and told, ‘Walk ahead, you lead the team,’” Chahar told Filmygyan.
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When Did It Happen
The incident happened during Mumbai Indians’ clash against Delhi Capitals in the 2020 season, where Chahar had a nightmare spell conceding 35 runs in only two overs and failing to pick up a wicket. Despite his struggles, MI still managed to register a convincing 57-run win on the back of their powerful batting display.
Chahar was a member of the MI squad for three consecutive seasons from 2019 to 2021. In that period, the franchise lifted two IPL trophies, in 2019 and 2020, with Chahar contributing as their frontline spinner. Over his time with the team, he featured in 39 games, claiming 41 wickets. Since leaving MI, however, his IPL career trajectory has dipped. The 26-year-old leg-spinner played just one game for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2025 season and remains uncertain about his retention for the upcoming edition.
For Chahar though, the memory of Rohit Sharma’s trust in him remains a defining moment of his career. That gesture, he said, will always remind him of the support and belief his former captain showed, even in the most testing situation. Rahul now represents Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL. Bought for INR 3.20 crore by Sunrisers Hyderabad, he played just one game in IPL 2025 and failed to take a wicket.