Hailing Rohit Sharma’s selfless approach in one-day internationals, World Cup-winning former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said he’s a big fan of the skipper, who he believes has set an example for the rest of the team in the 50-over format.

Ashwin lauded Rohit for his muted celebration after scoring a match-winning century in the second ODI against England in Cuttack on February 9.

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The 38-year-old Ashwin said Rohit is focused on the bigger picture in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy, which is why he downplayed the significance of his hundred, despite it coming after a long lean patch.

Rohit smashed 119 off just 90 deliveries in India’s successful chase of 305 against England in Cuttack, ending a nearly year-long wait for a three-figure score in international cricket.

He silenced his critics with a free-flowing knock, leading India’s aggressive batting display-a performance reminiscent of his approach in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup.

“One big quality of Rohit that I admire the most is that he is a selfless person. He is very selfless. If you are selfish, you won’t go out there and play freely. You won’t play aggressively. He has, so many times, not worried about landmarks and still scored big runs. I have massive respect for Rohit when it comes to that, and I am so happy he is showing that this is the way forward. He is saying: ‘Yes, I scored runs today, but it is business as usual. My one-day form is good, but there are more people whom I have to praise and motivate,’” Ashwin said.

“What is remarkable? We need to normalise everything. We shouldn’t keep promoting superstardom and super-celebrity culture. For the next generation, we need to normalise it. We are cricketers-we are not actors, we are not superstars. We are sportspeople, with whom normal people should be able to resonate,” Ashwin added, lauding Rohit for his subdued celebrations and composed post-match reactions.

“So when players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have achieved so much in their careers, score big, it’s business as usual. The goals should be bigger-it’s not about the individuals.”

Rohit led the ODI transformation: Ashwin

Ashwin noted that England revolutionised the way the world played ODI cricket between 2015 and 2019 and that India were late to adopt a similar approach. The off-spinner, who retired midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year, credited India’s shift in one-day cricket to Rohit’s leadership.

“The game is changing. We all need to understand that cricket is bigger than any individual. He has shown the way forward. In Indian cricket, there has always been talk about improving averages, remaining not out, monitoring personal scores, looking at career averages, and securing a place in the squad. But, from our early days, we have been wearing the jersey and playing for the country. Rohit is playing the game and setting the example,” Ashwin said.

“England, between 2015 and 2019, changed the game (ODI). India were actually late to the party. Who showed the way forward? Rohit Sharma. It took us eight years. Maybe, had it been six years, we would have won another trophy. So, Rohit was the burning light in the candle to change and transform this.”

Rohit led India’s batting from the front during the ODI World Cup at home in 2023, scoring 597 runs at a strike rate of 125.94-the highest for any batter with more than 400 runs in that tournament. The India captain carried this approach into the T20 World Cup last year, leading India to their first senior men’s ICC title in over a decade.