Fresh from India’s triumphant T20 World Cup campaign, the spotlight shifts to the ODI format with Indian stars who retired from T20 cricket will be in the spotlight for ODI series against Sri Lanka.
With the next World Cup still three years away, it’s easy to see the upcoming series against Sri Lanka as a mere warm-up. However, Indian captain Rohit Sharma is having none of it. For him, every match, regardless of the opponent or the format, is an opportunity to showcase India’s cricketing prowess.
The competitive fire burns brightly within Rohit, even though he has stepped down from the T20I captaincy. “I feel like I’ve just been rested from T20s,” he joked, highlighting his unwavering competitive spirit. The series against Sri Lanka, he insists, is not a mere rehearsal for future tournaments but a battle to be won in its own right.
While Sri Lanka might not be the toughest opposition, Rohit emphasizes the importance of maintaining the highest standards. “It’s not a practice ground,” he declared, dismissing any notion of using the series as preparation. “We want to come here and play good cricket and get something out of the series.”
The captain is clear that experimentation is on the cards, but it won’t come at the cost of intent and purpose. “We might tell a bowler: ‘We want something different from you.’ We might tell a batter: ‘This is how we want you to play in the middle overs,’” he said. “But the standard of Indian cricket is more important.”
Despite the recent World Cup win, Rohit is wary of complacency. He understands the rapid evolution of cricket and the need to constantly strive for improvement. “In modern cricket, the game moves so quickly, you can’t let the opposition steal a march,” he warned.
As India takes on Sri Lanka, it’s clear that the team is approaching the series with the same intensity and determination that has defined their recent success. Rohit Sharma’s mindset is a testament to the team’s unwavering ambition.
