India captain Rohit Sharma previews the hosts mouthwatering clash with Australia in their ICC Cricket World Cup opener
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00:00 First match a big opener. What's the mood in the camp and is everybody fit and fine?
00:05 Yeah
00:07 The mood is pretty good as it is going to be before the start of every big tournament
00:14 We've come into this tournament prepared really well, so quite confident
00:20 about you know
00:23 us skill wise
00:27 And yeah, we are looking forward to the game. Yeah, everybody is fit
00:33 Gil is not 100% but he's sick, so there's no injury concern so
00:42 Gil is not feeling well. We are monitoring him on a daily basis
00:46 So we're going to give him every chance to recover and see how he feels
00:50 So he's not ruled out yet
00:55 Rohit you are generally a cool cat when you talk about these things, but just
00:58 The fact that you are a 50 over world cup captain. What does that mean to you?
01:03 You've been a test captain 20 over world cup. Not too many people have led India in a 50 over world cup. What does that mean to you?
01:09 Yeah, no it means a lot
01:11 It's it's a huge honor
01:13 To be part of this world cup team firstly and then being the captain
01:23 50 over world cup is the biggest sporting event in cricketing history so for me. This is this is
01:30 The biggest event that I will be part of so and being the captain as well. Yes, it's it's a huge honor
01:37 I've said it many a times that it was always a dream to be part of the world cup team and
01:42 Then now to be part of the team and then the captain
01:47 just you know
01:50 I I don't know how to describe that because it's it's it's a big deal for me
01:54 Wanted to know that you recently concluded a series against Australia ODIC
02:02 But then to take them on in the world cup is a different ball game altogether. How do you look at this face off?
02:07 Yeah, yeah look this
02:10 What do you what we've done in the past?
02:13 I don't think it'll matter too much. You got to play good cricket on that given day and
02:19 Australia being Australia we know how they play in ICC tournaments. There is a reason that they have so many championships
02:25 so for us
02:28 You know it will be very important that we
02:30 Stick to what we want to do as a team focus on our strengths
02:35 and
02:38 You know assess the conditions here that is going to be quite critical because you know you
02:43 The pitch can be here slightly tricky can be challenging so you got to assess
02:48 In terms of how you want to bat how you want to bowl what lengths line
02:52 For the spinners as well. So everything comes into play and
02:59 You know, we played against Australia on this very
03:02 same venue in March and you know, we
03:09 We were slightly behind in that game, but we exactly knew what went wrong for us
03:13 So hopefully we shouldn't repeat that mistake that we made in
03:17 In that game in March, but again, like I said, it's a fresh day fresh game for both teams and
03:23 I'm sure you know both teams will be raring to go and have have a good start to the tournament
03:30 Rohit you mentioned it's a fresh day and you mentioned the match in March
03:34 Like how similar or different you expect the conditions to be tomorrow?
03:39 I think quite similar although in March it was quite hot. I don't think it is that hot now
03:45 we trained
03:48 Yesterday in the evening and we trained a day before in the afternoon
03:53 So pretty much felt the conditions that were quite a lot better
03:58 Actually than what it was in March March was quite humid and hot. It is hot, but it is not that humid
04:04 It's slightly better
04:06 But the pitch I think I don't know we still have to wait and see how it looks on that
04:13 Match day because you know the pitch the color of the pitch changes quite a lot here
04:17 So we will wait on that match day and see
04:20 You know what we need to do because that is something that we always do in India. We come on the match day and
04:27 Obviously not decide the playing 11, but you know the guys the bowlers who are going to play the batters were going to bat
04:34 They have their way of you know going about what sort of
04:38 Shots I want to play on this page. What's what sort of length and lines I need to bowl on on the pitch like that
04:45 So everyone has their own way of looking at how they want to prepare for for that particular game
04:50 But yeah, we will come here tomorrow and see what it is like because in India every day
04:56 It's a new day and everything changes every day
05:02 Right yeah
05:04 Just wanted to know like the situations you spoke about assessing the conditions and situation you have
05:09 Some very good options in the middle order like how do you look at it like when you read like the conditions?
05:17 Which are suitable for a Sreyash or conditions which is suitable for a Surya like how do you differentiate and make those?
05:23 assessments like if you could just give us a
05:28 Yeah, I mean look like every every seven eight batters that we have in the squad they bring different dimension
05:35 To our team they bring a different sort of style
05:38 To our team and that is why they have they've been picked to play the game play the tournament for us
05:43 And that is what you want. I always spoke about being flexible
05:47 Being a bit versatile in how you want to play so all of these guys bring that kind of quality with them
05:56 And look in terms of playing in these conditions
06:00 There is huge amount of experience. They played so much cricket. They know how to play
06:05 It is not for me to assess that it is for them to assess that in the middle
06:10 And then you know give them that freedom and clarity that this is what we want from you now
06:15 How you do it it is completely up to you?
06:17 But this is what we want from you in terms of role clarity from number one to number seven eight whoever that is
06:25 So as long as you give them that clarity freedom, then it is up to them to plan how they want to do it
06:32 You know and having said that
06:34 There is complete complete backing from the squad complete backing from the team management
06:38 To that particular individual if he goes out and does what the team is asked him to do
06:44 There is complete backing on that for the players
06:46 Rohit
06:52 Rohit you were magical as a batsman in the last World Cup with 500s now you are Rohit Sharma
06:58 The batsman has to live up to his expectations or the benchmark that he had set for himself in 2019 plus
07:05 the pressure of leading at home
07:07 How you sort of handling this dual pressure of a premier batsman as well as a captain and that to leading at home?
07:15 Yeah, both are different things
07:18 You know
07:21 That is where the experience of being here for 16 years
07:24 Playing the spot comes into picture. You know how you handle that pressure handle that
07:30 moments during the game
07:33 The 16 years of cricket has taught me that how to go through the moments and how to handle those pressures and not to
07:40 Let that pressure come on to the team
07:42 I'm sure at
07:45 Certain stages of the tournament some players will go through pressure
07:50 the teams will go the team will go through a pressure, but
07:52 You know that is where we need characters
07:56 We need strong mentality from the players to come out and say that okay pressure is not leaving us
08:01 But I'm better off focusing on what I need to do for the team rather than thinking about you know
08:08 There's too much pressure pressure is always there. We've been we are Indian cricketers. We are
08:16 You know we are supposed to go through pressure times pressure situations everyone is very well aware of that
08:23 So there's no point talking about pressure pressure pressure because everyone knows about it
08:28 Because they play cricket in India any any tournament. They play you know the pressure is always there
08:34 So I think keeping that aside it is important that you know we we try and do what is required for the team
08:44 External factors aside, but try and focus on what you want to do
08:48 That is how that is me telling you. I'm sure every individual has their own plan of
08:54 Going through that period and handling that period because I see a lot of strong mental characters in this squad
09:01 Who have
09:04 Come through a very hard ships. You know in their career
09:08 Nothing has been given that easy to any any one of them, so they've gone through their
09:13 Tough times they have spent their hard times in the middle
09:18 And achieved what they have achieved today, so
09:21 And World Cup being a different ball game. Yes, it's World Cup, but
09:25 You know we want to treat this as as a tournament for us as we come against different opposition
09:32 We focus on that opposition and then move on from there not worry about
09:37 What lies ahead what's there for us in the future and things like that that can only add pressure?
09:42 But how you can cut down the pressure is just focus on what's what's coming up for us tomorrow
09:47 And then keeping it very simple and for me as a batter. Yes, I want to focus on what?
09:53 What I can do the best for the team whatever is required whether it is giving good starts batting as long as possible
10:01 I'll try and I'll try and do everything that is required for for the team
10:07 Australian
10:09 Australian skipper has said that they play more white ball cricket here than even in Australia
10:15 So how much of this familiarity and also you know so each of them
10:21 So how much that factor will come into? No I mean look there's
10:25 You know
10:28 It's absolutely true that they play a lot of cricket here lot of T20 cricket
10:34 Recently played three odi's against us and before I feel we played three odi's again, so in terms of you know
10:41 How they plan their?
10:43 Schedule, it's pretty good, and they know what is at stake?
10:47 World Cup coming in India
10:49 So we go we got to make sure that they got to make sure that they play as much odi's as possible in India and
10:54 Against India so it helps them obviously it's it's a good thing that they've done, but again
11:01 You know the conditions are not going to matter too much to any team because a lot of these teams have come here and played
11:07 so much cricket, so
11:09 In terms of the alien conditions. I don't think it's there anymore
11:14 You just have to play good cricket, and it is the same anywhere you go now honestly
11:18 All teams are playing so much cricket everywhere around the world, so I don't think
11:23 You know any team would feel that oh, where am I I've never played
11:30 You know on pitches like this before
11:32 So I don't think that's the case anymore
11:35 Health of
11:42 Subban Gill
11:44 You said that you know he's improving, but does it worry you at all? No it doesn't worry. I mean obviously sick. I feel for him
11:51 you know
11:54 But in terms of you know
11:56 Me being the human being first. I want him to get well
12:01 Not the captain thinking. Oh, I want Gill to play tomorrow
12:05 No, I want him to get well because obviously being sick is not
12:10 No one likes being sick
12:13 But I want him to get well. He you know he's a young guy. He's got fit body
12:20 So he'll recover he'll recover quick
12:23 right
12:26 Could we say you playing three spinners in these conditions?
12:28 How much does Ashwin's batting come into it or is playing the three quicks such an advantage for your side?
12:34 Yeah, I mean, that's that's the luxury we have where we can afford to play three spinners because I don't I
12:42 don't really consider
12:45 Hardik Pandya as
12:47 Just a seamer. He's a proper
12:49 Fast bowler you know who can crank up good speed
12:54 So that gives us an advantage that gives us that luxury of playing three spinners
12:59 And three seamers as well, you know so there's a possibility that we can play three spinners on this pitch
13:06 With you know three seamers
13:09 As well, so it gives us that balance gives us that
13:13 Number eight batting option as well, so yeah like I said will we have to?
13:20 You know come here again tomorrow more tomorrow afternoon and see what the pitch looks like
13:26 But yeah, three spinners is definitely an option
13:29 Right
13:32 You guys have been a great generation of cricketers
13:35 But is there a sense of unfinished business about this ODI World Cup if you probably don't win
13:42 There is probably there will be a sense of unfinished business
13:46 And does a sense of desperation probably creep in in some of the super seniors who have done so well for so long
13:52 Yeah, yeah, I mean look anyway
13:57 You you you heard the great man say that so many times that
14:05 You know
14:08 Until he wins the World Cup
14:10 He's got a bit of unfinished business. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about
14:15 So it's the same for us as well. You know you want to win the World Cup
14:20 It's it's the big. It's the biggest prize that you can have in your career
14:25 But again, there's there's a way to do it. There is a procedure that you need to follow. There's a process to it
14:31 in
14:34 Desperation you can do so many things that can lead into so many other things as well, so
14:43 It's good to be desperate it good. It's good to be
14:45 hungry, but
14:48 You know you've got to find that balance right balance to stay desperate and stay hungry
14:54 for
14:56 You know scoring runs lifting the trophy winning games
15:00 Whatever that is
15:02 But there is a balance that you need to find you cannot get
15:05 Way too ahead of yourself because that can lead into something that you don't really wish for so
15:12 You know you've got to find nice balance and luckily. I mean for us the seniors you know they play a lot of cricket
15:18 So they know how to stay under that
15:20 You know under that radar, and you know keep doing things that they are supposed to do and then obviously
15:28 You know we have to
15:32 Leave a lot of things
15:35 To all mighty as well because we need that luck a little bit of luck in the tournament
15:40 I hope you know we get that luck
15:43 But yeah, it'll be nice to win a world cup
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17:40 Rohit my question was related to that actually as a captain in a format like this where you playing nine matches with nine different teams
17:48 At nine venues in a group stage
17:50 Do you believe that you your best 11 should play every match in a World Cup as some teams like to do or do you?
17:57 Feel that it should be horses for courses and you will like to change your team according to the venue and the opposition
18:02 Yeah, no and see so we definitely want to be a team where we want to play the best 11
18:08 But you can pick your best 11 based on the conditions that you have in front of you
18:12 Where there is a bit of assistance to the slower bowlers you need to bring in that slower bowlers
18:18 so
18:19 Your core of the team will remain the same your eight nine ten players will remain the same
18:24 There will be one odd changes here and there
18:27 which you got to be ready to accept and take it into your stride and you know move forward and that is
18:33 the communication that we've had with the players at the beginning and
18:37 Everyone's ready
18:40 To do it. You know, it's it's the World Cup. So
18:45 No one should have personal preferences, you know, it's the team that matters and the team's goal that matters so I think
18:52 Without me talking in the team changing room too much about it
18:56 They should realize that okay. This is this is a bigger deal
19:00 So we have to focus on whatever the team wants and do it for the team
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