India spin great Harbhajan Singh has defended Rohit Sharma, saying that people are going “overboard” with their criticism of his captaincy.

Sharma has been under fire for his leadership in recent months, particularly after India’s loss to Australia in the ICC World Test Championship final. However, Harbhajan believes that Sharma is a “brilliant leader” and that he deserves the full support of the Indian cricket establishment.

“I find that people are going a bit overboard… the way Rohit has been criticized,” Harbhajan said. “Cricket is a team sport and one individual cannot take you from one place to another.”

Harbhajan also urged the BCCI to give Sharma the same level of support that his predecessors have received. “If you have the support from BCCI, you can work freely,” he said. “Rohit must be getting support from BCCI. I don’t know how much support he must be getting (though). Having that kind of support will help him take the right kind of decision at the right time.”

Harbhajan’s comments come at a time when Sharma is under increasing pressure to deliver results. India will be hoping to bounce back from their recent disappointments when they tour the West Indies later this month.