IND v NZ 2021: Captain Rohit Sharma keen to instill sense of security among players to play fearless cricket

Rohit Sharma has been named India's T20I captain after Virat Kohli quit the role.

Rohit Sharma with his Indian teammates during a practice session | BCCI/TwitterOn the eve of the first T20I against New Zealand, India’s newly appointed T20I skipper Rohit Sharma highlighted the importance of instilling a sense of security among players even if they fail in a few games while trying to perform specific roles for the team.

As a captain, Rohit, along with head coach Rahul Dravid, wants to play a “big role” in allowing individuals to play fearless cricket.

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“I think it is an important aspect of the format (T20) where people have that assurance of going in and taking those chances in the middle. If it comes off, it comes off, if it doesn’t then what happens. That’s where both of us will have to play a huge role and huge part in terms of giving that individual an assurance you know going out and expressing himself,” Rohit said during the press conference while answering a PTI query on how he would like to maintain a balance between security and flexibility in trying out combinations ahead of T20 World Cup 2022.

“Especially, in this format where sometimes, you need to go out there and play fearlessly while doing that there are chances that you might not always be successful. Because it’s such a short format, you are always challenged and the pressure is always there,” he added.

According to Rohit, it is important that the individual knows what the team requires of him and doesn’t deviate from the set game-plan.

“I think the entire set-up will play a big part in making sure that particular individual wherever he bats and how we want him to bat goes and does the job for us.”

“If he doesn’t, you still try and instil the confidence in him that we have full faith in you and just go and do the role for the team. As long as they are trying to do the role for the team we are happy,” he remarked.

Rohit said when players become a part of the Indian dressing room, it won’t matter what role they play for their state team in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy or their respective IPL franchises.

“Our boys play SMAT and IPL and they play differently for their franchisee, differently for SMAT and when they come here, they play differently, we strictly want to assign the role which they do here matters. For that it can take few games or it can take a while.”

Rohit wants to give long rope to players as he said: “For us, to give them that longer rope and confidence is important to give them that confidence. We are starting afresh after T20 World Cup and we have set some ideas and thoughts, for this particular tournament as of now. Let’s see how it pans out and we will take it from there.”

(With PTI inputs)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 17 Nov, 2021

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