"Kohli tried to go hard from the word go, he normally does not do that, but he showed the intent" - Rohit Sharma
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma praised Virat Kohli and Sanju Samson for aligning with the team's clarity-driven mindset despite their early dismissals in the third T20I against Afghanistan on Wednesday.
Kohli and Samson were dismissed for golden ducks inside the powerplay while trying to take on the bowler from the very first ball itself. Both batters were caught inside the circle as the ball hit high on their bats, leading to their early dismissals that left India reeling at 22/4 in the fifth over.
Rohit Sharma asserted that as far as there is clarity surrounding the approach within the team, there is nothing to worry about.
"We only need to give the players clarity to the players about their position and the manner of cricket we want them to play with. The boys know what to expect when they come out onto the ground. As you saw today, Kohli tried to go hard from the word go, he normally does not do that, but he showed the intent. Same with Samson, he was out first ball, but the intent was there," Rohit Sharma said in a post-match interaction with Jio Cinema.
Rohit Sharma was also victim to the aggressive approach after he was dismissed for a golden duck in the second T20I while trying to take on Fazalhaq Farooqi. However, he made up for the lack of runs in the first two matches by scoring his record fifth T20I ton as Team India secured the series by a 3-0 margin.
"I don't want to think about that right now" - Rohit Sharma on 2023 ODI World Cup final loss
Even though Team India have played in bilateral series against three nations since the end of the 2023 ODI World Cup, it is safe to say that the wounds are not even close to being healed. While the focus is firmly on the 2024 T20 World Cup, the harrowing loss in the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia refuses to fade away.
Rohit Sharma spoke in detail about the loss and how it affected him in a video on his Instagram account. Being the skipper, the spotlight was firmly on him. The team had cut quite a distraught figure in the dressing room following the loss, and a number of senior players had an extended break as well.
"See, I don't want to think about that right now. The 50-over World Cup is the ultimate prize for me, it's not like I don't regard T20 World Cup and the Test Championship as important events. I grew up watching the ODI World Cup, and when it happens in India, the vibe is unmatched. We tried our best, but unfortunately we could not win," Rohit Sharma said
"The enrire team was upset, and I am sure the people were quite aad as well. But now, we have an opportunity to win the T20 World Cup, and hopefully we win it," Rohit Sharma concluded
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