After India’s 3-0 T20I series win over New Zealand, skipper Rohit Sharma picked his team's bowling as the biggest positive.
In particular, Rohit was impressed with off-spinner R Ashwin, who provided crucial breakthroughs to the hosts while restricting the runs in the middle overs.
Having made a splendid comeback to white-ball cricket after four years in the T20 World Cup 2021, Ashwin finished the series with three scalps at an economy rate of 5.25.
"He's always an attacking option for a captain. When you have someone like him in your squad, it always gives you the opportunity to take wickets in the middle and we understand how important that phase is," Rohit said while speaking at the post-match press conference after India’s seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the final T20 at Eden Gardens.
"It's been a great comeback ever since he played in Dubai and till now. He's a quality bowler, we all know that. Over the years he's proved himself with the red ball and even in white ball he doesn't have a bad record. The way he has come back and bowled in Dubai and then two games here. It shows the quality that he has," he added.
Ashwin recorded the figures of 4-0-23-2 and 4-0-19-1 in the first two T20Is at Jaipur and Ranchi, respectively. He restricted the run flow in the middle overs alongside Akshar Patel.
"You know, that's where (middle overs) you need to put the brakes on the run rate, the scoring rate and try and keep taking wickets so I think Ashwin provides that to us in the middle along with Akshar.
"Both of these guys are wicket-taking options in the middle and the goal is never about surviving, it's always about 'how I can get the batter out or how I can put the pressure on the batter'.
"That's what they come up with all the time. So it's always a good option for a captain to have someone like them in the middle, bowling those crucial overs and trying to put the pressure back on the opposition by taking wickets," Rohit said.
It was India’s first assignment under the full-time captaincy and coaching of Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid, and they bounced back as a team after the underwhelming T20 World Cup 2021 campaign in UAE.
When asked about the turnaround, Rohit said, "We're trying to create a healthy atmosphere in the team, trying to give players the security so that they can go out and play fearlessly.
"The first meeting that we had, we spoke of this very clearly to all the players that if you're trying to do something for the team, that act will never go unnoticed.
"It will always be recognised when you're trying to put up your hand and take the pressure on yourself and try to do something for the team. That is the job of the captain and the coach to tell the players that we do understand what you're trying to do for the team, you go and take your chances.
"With the talent we have in India, it's not easy, you have to see so many options. You try and fit everyone into the squad but only 11 can play so it's not easy.
"It's always tough but we will try our best to ensure that whenever the players step out they don't have any baggage," he said about the duo's philosophy going forward.
The third T20I was a dead-rubber, in which India won the toss and piled up a massive 184/7 on the board. Rohit was the top scorer with 32-ball 56 while Ishan Kishan (29), Shreyas Iyer (25), Deepak Chahar (21), and Venkatesh Iyer (20) chipped in with handy twenties.
Defending the total, India bundled out the visitors for a paltry 111 in 17.2 overs. Left-arm spinner Akshar Patel starred with the ball, claiming three wickets by conceding only 9 runs in his three overs. Pacer Harshal Patel (3-26) also picked up two scalps in his three overs while Venkatesh Iyer (1-12), Yuzvendra Chahal (1-26), and Deepak Chahar (1-26) chipped in with wicket apiece.
"Bowling was our biggest plus in the series. We came back really in the first two matches after explosive starts by New Zealand. To restrict such a strong New Zealand batting lineup in the 160-mark is really commendable."
He also stressed on saving those extra runs on the field.
"We did well in all the three games. Whenever I go ground, I always want to think how much runs we have saved and in all the three matches we have saved about 15 runs and also had two run outs today."
(With PTI inputs)
