Image Credit- AFP
The aggressive, take-no-regret batting model that
Rohit Sharma established during the 2023 World Cup is expected to have a
significant impact on Indian cricket. Regrettably, he finished second in the
series despite scoring 597 runs at a strike rate of 126 feet and smashing 31
sixes. However, according to Suryakumar Yadav, the hitters who bat next are
hoping to “try and replicate the same thing” moving ahead. After all,
with another World Cup coming up in only six months, there will be another chance
to influence Rohit’s batting style.
“What he’s done in the World Cup is one thing
which will set an example,” Suryakumar, India’s stand-in T20I captain,
said of Rohit on the eve of the first match in Visakhapatnam.
“It was a completely different Rohit Sharma that
you saw. I mean, he literally walked the talk; what we spoke about in the team
meetings, he did the same thing on the ground. We are very proud of him. As a
leader he led by example and we’ll try and replicate the same thing.”
In his first-ever interview with the media as India’s
captain, Suryakumar cut a laid-back figure. It wasn’t all that far from how his
Mumbai Indians captain and India ODI captain conducts press conferences.
“I am also young yaar!” When asked about
leading the “young” boys in the side, Suryakumar smiled and stepped
in.
“What I told them [squad] when I met them in the
afternoon today was let’s be very selfless when we go into the field,”
Suryakumar said. “Because I’m a guy who doesn’t think too much about the
personal milestones and instead thinks of the team’s goal. And I’ve always told
them that you have to keep the team first and then whatever comes after that,
you can take your call. And I’ve played with them a lot of times during the IPL
and a few India games as well, so they know how I function. And it wasn’t that
difficult and we are really excited to go about in the series.”