Rohit wants to regain his mentality from 2019 as key tournaments approach
Being the captain of India is not simple, especially with the World Cup coming up at home when you will be attempting to end an ICC trophy drought that has lasted ten years. The easygoing nature and demeanor of Rohit Sharma may be just what a captain needs to carry the burden of expectation and lead a group of guys toward a shared goal.
Only a small portion of Rohit’s duties include leadership. At the top of India’s batting order, Rohit, one of the team’s most seasoned batters, plays a crucial, tempo-setting role. Additionally, he has a high personal bar that he needs to fulfill and, if possible, surpass. Rohit recorded an astonishing five hundreds during the last ODI World Cup, contributing 648 runs at an average of 81.00 for the entire tournament. The 36-year-old refers to that performance in order to refresh his memory on all the ideal techniques.
“For me, it matters how I maintain my calm and avoid worrying about outside influences that might be involved, whether positively or negatively. I want to block everything out,” Rohit said in an interview with PTI.
“I want to return to my pre-2019 World Cup state. I was in a terrific frame of mind and did a great job of practicing for the competition. I was in good physical and mental form. I have the time to bring that back, and I want to. Trying to recall the morally correct things I was doing as a cricket player and a person prior to the 2019 World Cup. I want to go back and think about that personally,” he continued.
Since that competition in the UK, Rohit has experienced a lot of change. He received a second chance at a Test career that had seemed dead, and soon after that, he was promoted to head the Indian team in all three formats. Players have changed as a result of championship outcomes. That wasn’t the case with him, Rohit insisted. In addition, he said he wasn’t considering what a World Cup victory, on top of all his IPL triumphs, may do to his reputation as a captain.
“A person can’t change overnight with his or her successes or failures,” he asserted. “I don’t believe that a single performance or victory can alter who I am as a person. In the past 16 years, I have not changed as a person, and I don’t believe anything needs to alter in that regard. The main focus will be on how I can help my team and I both reach our goals over the following two months. In just one or two months, a person cannot transform.
“I don’t give much thought to the kind of legacy I’ll leave behind. People will be able to evaluate and discuss my legacy. Not my place to say. I don’t have a strong belief in statistics. You should strive to live in that kind of moment, be happy, and enjoy the time you have right now. I’m considering what makes me happy. For me, making memories and getting along well with my teammates are the most important things. Be content with everything you receive and possess, he said.
The choice to reduce the current Asia Cup squad of 18 players to 15 would be one of the toughest tasks he must complete in the upcoming two months. It will be necessary to inform at least three players that they will not be participating in the home World Cup. Rohit will be able to relate because exactly 12 years ago, when he was left out of the 2011 World Cup squad, he was on the opposite side of the debate.
There will be players who are left out while choosing the best lineup for a variety of reasons, and Rahul bhai [Dravid] and I have done our best to convey this to the players. Whenever a selection or playing XI was announced, we made every effort to contact the players. We sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with them to explain our decision,” Rohit added.
Me, the coaches, and the selectors consider all the variables, including the opposition, the playing surface, our strengths, and their weaknesses, before coming to an agreement. We have a good likelihood of occasionally falling short of perfection. At the end of the day, very few people make decisions, and humans are prone to error. Not always will we be correct. It’s not like I’m dumping him because I don’t like him. Captaincy is not determined by a person’s preferences. If somebody is excluded, there is a valid explanation. If you’re the unfortunate one, there’s nothing we can do.
“I try to imagine myself in their position occasionally. It was really a heartbreaking experience for me when I wasn’t selected in 2011, and I wondered, “What’s left after being cut from a World Cup squad?” I was depressed and sat in my room, unsure of what to do. Yuvi [Yuvraj Singh] called me to his room and took me out to dinner, in my memory.
“He described to me what it’s like to be left out. The fact that you have so many years ahead of you is the best thing, he told me. You use this opportunity to put a lot of effort into improving your game and talents as we compete in the World Cup. There is no chance that you won’t represent India or get to participate in the World Cup.
“I went back to the drawing board, worked hard, and I made a comeback right after the World Cup. It has been terrific ever since. No one can tell me that it is “easier said than done” because I am the one who has experienced this emotion. I have experienced exclusion from a World Cup, so I understand how it feels.
