‘Shikhar form a boost ahead of Aus’
CHENNAI: With India’s tour of Australia a few days away, Rohit Sharma has voiced his delight at fellow opener Shikhar Dhawan’s return to form.
Speaking to reporters after captaining India to a 3-0 T20 whitewash of the West Indies, Rohit said, “It was important for the players to get some runs ahead of the Australia tour. Shikhar, especially, was batting well in the ODI series but he was not able to get big scores. I am glad that he could play a match-winning knock before the tour.”
“Rishabh (Pant) was also hungry to go out and get some runs. It was the perfect situation. We were two down inside the first six overs. There was a bit of pressure as well. They handled it well and it was a match-winning partnership,” Rohit said.
Stressing that the tour Down Under would be a ‘different ballgame’, Rohit added that India are well-placed to compete with the Aussies away from home. “Australia is always challenging when it comes to going out there and performing. Every time you go there, you are tested as a player, as an individual and as a team. We have to be at our best. Australia will be a different ball-game and I completely understand that. But I think the things we have been doing as a team, we have to keep repeating them.”
Rohit has been in sublime form across the limited-over formats this year. In 19 ODIS, he has smashed 1030 runs at an average of 73.57 with six centuries. In T20 Internationals, he has 560 runs to his name in 16 matches, including two centuries against England and West Indies.
He is also a part of the 18-member squad for the four-test series against Australia and going by his current form, he stands a good chance of making the playing XI for the first Test at Adelaide, starting December 6. But Rohit isn’t thinking that far and is focused on performing in the three-match T20 series before the five-day games.
“We have the T20s and practice games before the first Test. I am not even thinking about it. All I am thinking is going back, taking a few days off, and then take the flight to Australia. We will have enough time to think about the Tests after that.”
Rohit also lauded debutant Krunal Pandya. In the first match at Eden, he took 1/15 in four overs and remained unbeaten on 21 off nine balls. “Krunal is a streetsmart cricketer. He is never afraid of bowling to any player. We have seen that in the IPL. I am impressed. He has got a great ability to play for India for a long time,” Rohit said.