Chivu, in his first season as Inter coach, has the club sitting top of the Serie A table.
Ranocchia played with Chivu with the Nerazzurri and told Il Corriere dello Sport: "He's a guy with a unique intelligence and sensitivity. It's crucial for a coach to put himself in his players' shoes, and he was able to do that even when he was playing.
"He didn't talk a lot, but everyone listened when he spoke."
Ranocchia also said: "He has an uncommon way of communicating. He answers questions like Mourinho, Guardiola, or Klopp. People like Cristian break the mold of the obvious.
"There aren't many coaches around who have that kind of ability. His press conferences are fantastic."