NEW DELHI: Indian captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged the difficulty in selecting the team’s wicketkeeper batter for ODIs, with both KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant being strong contenders. He emphasized that each player brings unique strengths to the table, describing them as “match-winners” in their own right.
Having recently featured in the T20 World Cup, Pant is back in the Indian squad, while Rahul is set to make his ODI comeback since his last appearance in January.
The upcoming series opener against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday will provide an opportunity for one of them to showcase their skills behind the stumps and with the bat.
“It’s a tough call (wicketkeeper-batter between Rahul and Pant) to make. Both are quality players, and you know the abilities of both the players. They are match-winners in their own way. They have won a lot of games for us in the past,” Rohit said, as quoted by PTI, during his pre-match press meet.
Rohit expressed his preference for dealing with an abundance of options rather than facing a scarcity.
“It is not easy to pick a team or a player when you have quality like that. It is always nice to have problems like that while picking up the teams, so you know that there is quality in the squad. I look forward to these kind of problems till I am the captain,” he said smilingly.
Rohit emphasized that, regardless of who is selected, it’s crucial for the player to express himself freely.
The 37-year-old also mentioned that the management has already fostered a relaxed atmosphere in the dressing room, allowing players to focus on their game without any fear or hesitation.
“The most important thing is to allow the freedom to players, so that they will be able to do that and it is our job to ensure that we create that environment. Yes, we have already created that environment for players to come here and play freely.
“So, that they do not (need to) think too much about their own performance, result etc. If you are playing the game the team wants you to play, then we are more than happy,” he added.
Rohit said that Suryakumar Yadav, his successor as India’s T20I captain, has done a commendable job in his first full series.
“It’s early days (in his captaincy); I don’t want to talk too much about it. He has done a great job, and let him continue doing it.
“We start jumping into things (judgement) quite quickly, regardless of wins or losses. Let him do things consistently, and then we can talk about it,” he said.
Under Suryakumar’s leadership, India secured a 3-0 victory over Sri Lanka in the recent T20I series, which Rohit described as a promising start.
“It’s definitely a good start for them in that format. They played well as a unit, which is what Team India is all about. I’m sure they are heading in the right direction,” he said.
Rohit remembers Gaekwad
Rohit expressed that he was “devastated” upon hearing about the passing of former Indian cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad.
Gaekwad succumbed to blood cancer on Wednesday night after a long battle.
“Absolutely devastated to hear that news. We have had a few conversations during the BCCI awards and all. When I was playing the Ranji Trophy, he was there to watch.
“There was a chance to speak to him,” Rohit said.
The skipper said it was a nice experience for him to learn from a senior cricketer, who played during a very different era of cricket.
“He had a few things to talk about my game as well, which was overwhelming for me because he was such a great cricketer for India. It was always nice to learn things from your seniors, just to understand how cricket was played back in the day.
“It was great learning for me then. Condolences to his family. When you lose your loved ones, it is always tough,” he said.
Having recently featured in the T20 World Cup, Pant is back in the Indian squad, while Rahul is set to make his ODI comeback since his last appearance in January.
The upcoming series opener against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday will provide an opportunity for one of them to showcase their skills behind the stumps and with the bat.
“It’s a tough call (wicketkeeper-batter between Rahul and Pant) to make. Both are quality players, and you know the abilities of both the players. They are match-winners in their own way. They have won a lot of games for us in the past,” Rohit said, as quoted by PTI, during his pre-match press meet.
Rohit expressed his preference for dealing with an abundance of options rather than facing a scarcity.
“It is not easy to pick a team or a player when you have quality like that. It is always nice to have problems like that while picking up the teams, so you know that there is quality in the squad. I look forward to these kind of problems till I am the captain,” he said smilingly.
Rohit emphasized that, regardless of who is selected, it’s crucial for the player to express himself freely.
The 37-year-old also mentioned that the management has already fostered a relaxed atmosphere in the dressing room, allowing players to focus on their game without any fear or hesitation.
“The most important thing is to allow the freedom to players, so that they will be able to do that and it is our job to ensure that we create that environment. Yes, we have already created that environment for players to come here and play freely.
“So, that they do not (need to) think too much about their own performance, result etc. If you are playing the game the team wants you to play, then we are more than happy,” he added.
Rohit said that Suryakumar Yadav, his successor as India’s T20I captain, has done a commendable job in his first full series.
“It’s early days (in his captaincy); I don’t want to talk too much about it. He has done a great job, and let him continue doing it.
“We start jumping into things (judgement) quite quickly, regardless of wins or losses. Let him do things consistently, and then we can talk about it,” he said.
Under Suryakumar’s leadership, India secured a 3-0 victory over Sri Lanka in the recent T20I series, which Rohit described as a promising start.
“It’s definitely a good start for them in that format. They played well as a unit, which is what Team India is all about. I’m sure they are heading in the right direction,” he said.
Rohit remembers Gaekwad
Rohit expressed that he was “devastated” upon hearing about the passing of former Indian cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad.
Gaekwad succumbed to blood cancer on Wednesday night after a long battle.
“Absolutely devastated to hear that news. We have had a few conversations during the BCCI awards and all. When I was playing the Ranji Trophy, he was there to watch.
“There was a chance to speak to him,” Rohit said.
The skipper said it was a nice experience for him to learn from a senior cricketer, who played during a very different era of cricket.
“He had a few things to talk about my game as well, which was overwhelming for me because he was such a great cricketer for India. It was always nice to learn things from your seniors, just to understand how cricket was played back in the day.
“It was great learning for me then. Condolences to his family. When you lose your loved ones, it is always tough,” he said.