IPL 2017: IPL final best T20 match I have ever experienced, says Rohit Sharma
They say the third time’s a charm – on Sunday, Mumbai Indians were crowned champions of the Indian Premier League for the third time in five seasons. There was nothing charming about this victory but it was truly memorable and well deserved.
“I guess all three are special but last game was brilliant – one of the best T20 games I have been a part of. I want to cherish all three of them but certainly, my best T20 game was last night,” captain Rohit Sharma said, speaking to reporters in Mumbai, a day after the final.
Like coal miners toiling in the heat, Mumbai had to dig deep after they set Pune a measly target of 130. Rohit and co. had set the lowest target ever for a chasing team in an IPL final. The odds weren’t merely stacked against them, they were cramped right up against their neck. Looking back, the skipper reckons that team chemistry played a vital role in the side’s success.
“That’s the challenge of the IPL. Every now and then, you’ll have a new set of players coming in and support staff too. One has to face this challenge and get to know them really well but we’ve enjoyed each other’s company. That’s what makes a team successful – a strong bond,” he explained.
Recently, Mohammad Azharuddin expressed his sentiments about Sharma’s selection for the upcoming Champions Trophy. The former Indian captain believed that Sharma would struggle in England since he hasn’t been consistently playing as an opener for the Mumbai Indians. Rohit, though, brushed off such suggestions.
“IPL is a different format and tournament. When you play for India, it’s different. I don’t see why you’ll try and compare IPL and international cricket. My requirement here was in the middle order, we realised this at the start of the tournament, to get the balance right,” he said.
Thrust into the spotlight after a long injury layoff, Rohit revealed that captaining a side filled with talented players considerably helped him, given the fact that the weight of expectations was placed on him in such a high-profile tournament.
“It (captaincy) has helped me a lot, not just for my game but also as a human being. I have understood that when you’re thrown into responsibility, you mature as a person. That is something I have been learning.
“Captaincy is something I have enjoyed for the past four years. If you win the trophy everything looks good but last year we had a tough time. This year we knew the kind of individuals we had and they came out and delivered. We’ve never looked back, I want to inspire the team as much as I can,” he added.
Sharma had one man in particular to thank – Mahela Jayawardene. The Sri Lankan was appointed as the head coach of the Mumbai Indians this season – his first ever assignment as a coach. The captain revealed how Jayawardene’s composed approach towards the game was vital over the course of the season, an aspect which he believes came in handy whilst dealing with the various egos in the dressing room.
“He was certainly very calm but not after yesterday’s batting performance (laughs). Throughout the season, he’s been someone who has settled down some of the players, making sure they’re kept in check. That’s how he’s played his cricket and it has reflected on us too.”
“Whenever we won, the energy level was at a certain level. Whenever we lost, it was still right there, it never changed. That was something which was very good to see. When your attitude doesn’t change too much, you can focus a lot more. We enjoyed working with Mahela,” Rohit signed off.