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Follow UsAfter a competitive Test series, India and England will clash in a five-match T20 International series, beginning with the first one at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Friday (March 12). The battle between the top two ranked sides is seen as a perfect dress rehearsal for the upcoming T20 World Cup in India, which wicketkeeper Jos Buttler feels, the hosts are the favourites to win. India have expanded their T20I squad, handing opportunities to Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav, who have been consistent performers over the last few years. India vice-captain Rohit Sharma, who has watched them closely in the Mumbai Indians camp, reckons that they should just enjoy their time with the Indian team and not put any undue pressure on themselves.
“I don’t want them to be thinking anything. Watching them closely for a few years now I have realized that it is important for them to come and be part of this wonderful team. This team has tasted a lot of success over the years. I just want them to have fun, understanding what this team is all about,” Rohit said in a virtual press conference.
"Keeping in mind that this is the first time in the squad, they will be nervous, they will be thinking on performances and all of that. It’s important for people like me and few others in the team – the senior members or the coaching staff and tell them that this is just another “team” that you are part of and you just have to enjoy that moment. Thinking about performances, and what I need to do If I get an opportunity will only put pressure on them. These guys have done well in the last few years, especially last year, it’s about carrying that form and putting it out here, when the opportunity comes. It’s not going to be that easy. They will be challenged every now and then. But that is what international cricket is all about, but how you respond to those challenges is crucial. It is important to have that right mindset to counter those challenges, which lies in front of them," he added.
Rishabh Pant has been in the limelight in the last couple of months – from his match-winning innings at The Gabba to scoring a century in the fourth Test in Ahmedabad. Head coach Ravi Shastri too acknowledged that he has worked hard on his fitness and also his game, especially since IPL 2020. Rohit feels that the wicketkeeper-batsman has added yet another quiver in his armoury, which is understanding the match situation and playing according to it.
“If we can let Rishabh Pant be Rishabh Pant, he will come out and give you those performances. I have said that many times in the past. He has done exceptionally well in the last few months – from Australia to the home series we played against England – he has performed really well. I don’t see anything stopping him, unless we start putting pressure on him – we as in you guys (media). He likes to enjoy his game. That is what we as team management, the players and his teammates expect from him – to just be out there and enjoy the game and do what he likes to do,” Rohit, who is the only Indian men’s cricketer to have played over 100 T20Is said.
He further added, “The good thing about his game now is that he is starting to understand the game situation, which is good. For someone like him to understand the game situation and play according to that is something that he can tick-off from his personal box. He has looked good in whatever he has done – whether we talk about his ‘keeping, his approach, or his batting, he has looked very good. This is another series for him that will take his confidence a notch higher if he keeps performing in the same manner and we allow him to play with freedom.”
Hardik Pandya has been with the Indian team, moving from one bubble to another for some time now. Hardik barely bowled in the limited-overs series against Australia, something that India will hope he can do in this series, given that it added balance to the side? Will we see Hardik in action in the first T20I? Rohit did not give out much.
“He is an integral part of the squad. He has been working his bowling and batting. Particular skillsets he has, he has been sharpening those skillsets as well. It’s been a good month and a half he has been with the team and he knew what he needed to do to get ready for this limited-overs series. He has done pretty much everything. It seems the time has come for him to get ready to start doing what he does. And you’ll see that on the 12th (March). I hope what the team expects him to do, he is ready to do that,” Rohit revealed
On curbing his instincts of playing shots, especially in Tests, Rohit said that his focus in the longest format is to play as many balls as possible, not runs.
“The advantage when you leave your game and play a different one, you win a battle in itself. Whenever you go against your nature and do things that you are not used to, it is a small victory. If you keep doing these things again and again, your confidence will go up. In Australia and India, the way I batted, I felt very good. Especially in the last Test (in Ahmedabad). I made only 49, but I played 150 balls (144) for that. That was a big victory for me because I was playing against my nature. They were bowling well outside off, I was tempted to play my shots, but I curbed it. It was important for me to play with discipline. As a batsman in Tests, the challenge is how many deliveries I play, not how many runs I get. That is the challenge. It will be helpful for me and the team,” the India opener concluded.
India have won their last five T20I series, dating back to November 2019, when they beat Bangladesh at home. England too have not been too shabby either, having won seven out of their previous eight T20I series. We could indeed turn out to be an intriguing series as both teams look to get their combination right ahead of the T20 World Cup.