Rohit Sharma is the next MS Dhoni for India, according to all-rounder Suresh Raina, who sees a few similarities in the captaincy styles of the two.

Raina, who played under the leadership of Dhoni for the majority of his India and IPL career, was captained by Rohit Sharma in the Nidahas T20I tri-series in 2018, and was impressed by how he instilled confidence in the youngsters and led by example.

Raina revealed that Rohit liked to listen to his players and “thinks everyone is a captain”, which helped keep the dressing room atmosphere positive. It is the trait that, Raina thinks, makes him similar to Dhoni.

“I would say he is the next MS Dhoni for the Indian cricket team,” Raina said on The Super Over Podcast. “I have seen him, he is calm, he likes to listen, he likes to give confidence to the players and on top of that, he likes to lead from the front. When the captain leads from the front and at the same time, he gives respect to the dressing room atmosphere, you know you have it all.

“He thinks everyone is a captain. I have seen him, I have played under him when we won the Asia Cup in Bangladesh. I have seen him how he gives confidence to young players like Shardul [Thakur], Washington Sundar and [Yuzvendra] Chahal of course.

“Around him, players enjoy the intensity, they enjoy his aura. I think when you enjoy the aura of a player, you like to be positive and I think that is what he is good at. He is one of the top-most, after MS Dhoni, who was brilliant. He has won more [IPL] trophies than MS, but I would say they both are very similar. Both of them, as a captain, like to listen.

“When your captain is listening, you can solve a lot of problems, you can solve the mental problems of the players. So in my book, they both are wonderful.”