Rohit Sharma all set to begin India ODI captaincy at Dharamsala with same zeal as Mumbai Indians leader
You may not see Virat Kohli-like aggression or the calmness of MS Dhoni when Rohit Sharma leads the Indian team in the opening ODI against Sri Lanka here today at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association stadium. The Mumbai batting stylist is expected to throw his own flair in the mix as Rohit prepares to replicate the same success he had with his IPL team Mumbai Indians for whom he has won three titles.
Rohit Sharma
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Thanks to Kohli's break
Today, Rohit will take charge of the Men in Blue after regular skipper Kohli opted for a break. Rohit has stayed ice cool in the chilly weather here as he went about his routine. There were no intense discussions with the coaches or one-to-one sessions with his teammates. This is exactly the way Rohit has conducted himself for Mumbai Indians. Although he is well aware about the different challenges he will face while leading an international side as compared to an IPL team, he does not foresee any change required in his approach. "It will be a completely different ball game, but the process and basics of captaincy remain the same. It will be all about going there and executing, and making everyone comfortable.
Different pressure
"I don't need to change anything, I just need to carry from where we left as a team. IPL and international cricket is completely different; the pressure and mindset of the players is absolutely different. I won't change much. I will try to be in the present and make those changes when necessary," Rohit said on match eve. Four of Rohit's IPL teammates - Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal - are part of the ODI team for the Sri Lanka series. "We have different set of players in the IPL team, but having played with these guys (Indian team) for some time now, I do understand their strengths and weaknesses," he said.
Praise for Bumrah
Rohit had special praise for his Mumbai Indians teammate Bumrah, who recently got a call-up for the South Africa Test tour. "He has played with me in Mumbai and I have seen him grow every game. "Every series that he has played, he has come up with new strategies, new plans. It is good to see that he has matured as a bowler now. He understands what he needs to do and what the team expects out of him. He is a very focused guy, very disciplined in terms of his work ethic," said Rohit.
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