IND vs WI 2022: "Pragyan? Aaj-kal commentary karne laga hai kya?"- Rohit Sharma's hilarious response to Ojha's comments on Dhawan
Indian captain Rohit Sharma recently shared his thoughts on former left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha's comments concerning Shikhar Dhawan's selection for the 2023 World Cup.
Rohit and Ojha have been good friends for a long time. They shared the dressing room during their time with Team India as well as with the Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.
The former left-arm spinner recently mentioned why Dhawan would be a certainty for the 2023 ODI World Cup next year. He compared Rohit and Dhawan's camaraderie to that of former Indian opening partners Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.
Citing how the duo became great friends after they started opening the innings together, Ojha said that Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan have also had a similar bonding over the years.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference ahead of the T20I series against West Indies, Rohit Sharma was asked about his views on Ojha's opinion. The Indian captain gave a cheeky reply in his typical way. He said:
"Pragyan? Aaj-kal commentary karne laga hai kya? Chalo acchi baat hai (Is he doing commentary these days? Nice). Look, whenever we bat with our partner in the middle, not just me or Shikhar, be it anyone, we all try to understand each other really well and that forms a big friendship off the field."
Ro about opening partnership's with @SDhawan25 https://t.co/URE1boKVer
Speaking further about the importance of team bonding, Rohit added:
"It is important that even off the field, the boys stay together, have fun, as that's the thing that maintains a great team environment. You don't get these moments often, so whenever you have them, make the most of it."
Skipper Rohit Sharma net practice ahead of first T20I match.
https://t.co/Go9D0GuUjZ
"We have given freedom to our boys" - Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma has been quite vocal about the fearless approach that India are looking to embrace in T20 cricket. The same was seen in their 2-1 series win in England. Explaining how the team management backs the players to play their natural game, the Indian skipper stated:
"We have to give freedom to our boys, you just go and play and play the way you want to. We can always tell them how to prepare in the nets, but during the match, they must be given that freedom. Play your game as you play for the franchises or your state teams. You don’t take that sort of pressure there, so don’t take pressure now."
The Men in Blue will take on West Indies in a five-match T20I series. The first match will be played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad on Friday, July 29. The series holds key as the picture of Team India's probables for the T20 World Cup squad could become clearer by the end of the tour of the Caribbean.