Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma remained unfazed by concerns over his recent Test form, responding with confidence to a reporter’s question on whether his struggles in red-ball cricket would impact his performance in the upcoming ODI series against England. The three-match series is set to begin with the first match in Nagpur.
During a pre-series press conference, Rohit was left momentarily surprised by the query but quickly brushed it aside.
“What kind of question is that?” Rohit responded with a chuckle. “This is a different format, a different time. As cricketers, we know there will be ups and downs. I have gone through it a lot. Every day is a fresh day, every series is a fresh series. I am looking forward to the challenge and not dwelling on the past. Clearly, you don’t either,” he remarked.
The Indian captain endured a challenging second half of 2024, with his Test form dipping significantly and India suffering consecutive series defeats against New Zealand and Australia. Rohit even opted out of the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney, leading to speculation about his future in the longest format. However, the upcoming ODI series provides a welcome opportunity for him to rediscover his best form in a format where he has excelled over the years.
Discussing the team’s strategy for the series, Rohit emphasized that India would maintain the aggressive approach that served them well during the 2023 World Cup.
“There is a certain type of cricket that we want to play, a certain brand of cricket we want to maintain,” Rohit stated. “Whether it means replicating what we did in the World Cup, we will try to do that. But the World Cup was one and a half years ago, so we need to regroup and adapt to the current situation. With the experience in our squad, there’s not much need to constantly remind players of the approach—we all know what is expected,” he added.
The three-match ODI series against England presents an opportunity for India to bounce back and for Rohit Sharma to reaffirm his prowess in limited-overs cricket. With the team aiming to maintain its aggressive intent, fans will be eager to see whether Rohit can once again lead from the front with the bat.
