Having made his international debut in 2007, India batsman Rohit Sharma has come a long way. In particular, Rohit has proved his mettle in the 50-over format. He is the proud owner of the highest individual ODI score — 264 (against Sri Lanka in 2014). Moreover, the 32-year-old is the only batsman in the history of ODI cricket to have scored three double tons.
In 206 ODIs, Sharma has amassed 8010 runs at an average and strike-rate of 47.39 and 87.95 respectively. He also has 22 tons and 41 fifties to his name and has played a key role in India’s 2013 ICC Champions Trophy title win in England and Wales.
Six years after the Champions Trophy triumph, Rohit has once again landed on the England shores with the Indian current cricket team for the 2019 World Cup. This time he is the vice-captain of the national side and is keen to relish his ultimate dream with calmness.
“It's the ultimate dream. Any kid growing up begins to nurture dreams in whatever sphere of life he or she aspires for. As a cricketer, growing up, the idea of playing in a World Cup, to be part of that team, to win it — that's the fairytale every youngster grows up dreaming about. Mine was just that kind of dream too,” Rohit Sharma told TOI.
“Look, there’s a balance one has to draw between the kind of desperation that exists within you and the calmness you seek, if you've got to keep playing this game at the highest level. Calmness is what I need. Not desperation,” he added.
Sharma will enter into the quadrennial event after leading Mumbai Indians to its fourth IPL title. He also revealed that his MI teammates, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, are ready to fire in their maiden World Cup appearances.
“They’ve been shaping up well. Both are heading into their first World Cup. Both are cricketers with positive mindsets. They love a challenge when presented with one. All of that along with the performances they've had in the last few month - it augurs well.
“The good thing about both of them is they constantly want to improve, want to be in the middle of action. Hardik played some crucial knocks this IPL. He's someone who's always looking to contribute in some capacity,” Sharma said about Pandya and Bumrah.
MI captain also admitted that it is a big challenge to face Bumrah in the nets.
“Every second, third day, I'm facing him (Bumrah) in the nets. He's even more dangerous in the close nets, because of his action. You actually want to face him in the open nets. He's difficult to read, and then that pace he can whip up. He's very different, very special,” he said about India’s pace bowling ace.
Rohit said the onus will be on India’s top 3 including Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and himself to be the consistent game changers.
“I think we have that component, should we need it. But let me put it this way - that onus lies on the top 3. Between me, Shikhar and Virat, it is our job to get that going. Between the three of us, we want to keep doing this as consistently as we can. It's not like maine kal banaya, aaj tu bana (I scored yesterday, today you do it). The onus will be on us,” he remarked.
