(Cricket news) Thirty-six days have passed since that fateful night when, on the eve of the Boxing Day Test against South Africa, an opponent against whom India has never won a Test series, Rohit Sharma attended a pre-match press conference in another continent while unintentionally aiding gravity and doing a good job of holding back tears of agony. “It’s a very important two Test matches in terms of where we stand as a team,” Rohit Sharma remarked. “To reflect, we haven’t won a series here either, which is a significant opportunity in and of itself.
We arrive at this location with great confidence, determined to accomplish what no one has ever accomplished in this region of the world, having come very close the last two times we have been.” The Indian skipper praised their seam attack, which is arguably the best in history, and gave them credit for India’s recent success, especially abroad. He did concede, though, that given Mohammed Shami’s background and skill set in seaming conditions, it will be challenging to step into his shoes.
“Our seamers have earned respect in how they have performed in overseas conditions,” said Rohit. We actually performed extremely well in Australia and England during the last five to seven years, and we even made it close to South Africa. The seamen have done their share, and we were victorious in Centurion and fairly close in Johannesburg and Cape Town. “We shall greatly miss Shalima. There will be a significant loss of his experience and accomplishments throughout the years. We have a lot of faith in the players who could replace him, even if it won’t be an easy role for someone to fill.”
Rohit discussed the difficulties in scoring runs in the nation, seeking advice from players who have made runs there, and using that information to turn it into runs. He claimed that South Africa is among the hardest places to bat. “As a batter it’s always a challenge to come and perform in South Africa, which is probably the hardest place to play for batsmen,” Sharma stated. “I’m excited about that task. I regret not being able to attend the previous time, but I’m excited to play the part of a batter and see where it goes.”
“At some point you have to start your career playing in these kind of conditions, so speaking to the people who have not been here before, they’re excited and looking forward to the challenge.” In addition, Sharma outlined the increasing difficulties that South African batsmen usually have during a Test match and the reasons that seam bowlers fare better under these circumstances. “Here, bowlers rule due to their ability to bounce and move laterally. As the game progresses, the cracks widen and the bounce becomes less consistent, making it more difficult.
Every day presents a new obstacle, and the game becomes increasingly difficult to play as time goes on. It will feel good to raise our hands and finish the task. Sharma also emphasized that as a batter, you’re never really in and that batters should never take the conditions for granted. The ball keeps doing its job, after all. “As our hitters demonstrated last time, it’s crucial to apply yourself and learn what kind of shots yield runs and how the bowlers are bowling.
With this knowledge, you will be able to score runs in these conditions.” It’s crucial to understand that, even when you’re hitting 70 or 80, you’re never truly in. It becomes challenging if all you try to do is get by here. Though entering with the intention of gaining points is helpful, you can’t just go there and hope to live.” Regarding KL Rahul’s new role, Rohit Sharma discussed the batter’s personal growth and his prospects in the job across all formats.
“Every cricketer has to go through some transformation or a different role in their career.” Rohit added. Few players have spent their entire careers in the same position. It was nice to see KL continue to play in the World Cup. Being eager to assume the role, he forfeited his chance to be a reliable batter at 5-6-7 maybe. “He has experience in these circumstances and last time out, he scored a hundred runs as an opener. Even while batting in one-day internationals, he bats well and accomplishes the most of the job correctly.
He is aware of the requirements at each stage of the game.” Speaking about India’s recent struggles, where they have been on the verge of winning trophies but have fallen short at the last hurdle, Rohit Sharma, albeit with a hint of sarcasm, expressed desperation and emphasized the significance of winning the Test series in South Africa, something that no Indian team had ever done before.
With a sardonic smirk, Sharma added, “We’ve worked so hard, so we want some results.” The journalists burst out laughing. “Big things are what we’re after. Thus, we’re hoping for success in this series. Every tool is at our disposal. We’ll make an effort to play freely, focus just on the present, and avoid thinking about the past or the future.”\
Also read: Due to a family emergency, Kohli left SA, while Gaikwad is ruled out of the series
