Team India captain Rohit Sharma spoke to reporters on December 25 ahead of the opening Test against South Africa, scheduled to begin on December 26 in Centurion. The Hitman answered numerous questions about the upcoming challenge, how tough was it to overcome the World Cup final loss and the importance of the next six months for the senior players of the team. In one of his answers, Rohit made it clear that he would like to play in whatever competition there is front of him without thinking too far ahead.
"If you had a World Cup up until the final, the way we played, we expected to go an inch further," Rohit told reporters.
"We could not do it. It was a very hard part for all of us. We worked hard for all the years for this. We did not do certain things well in the final which cost us. In most games, there was not much pin-pointing. It is hard. There is so much cricket happening. You have to find the strength to move on. It took time to come out of that. You have to look forward. We got a lot of encouragement from the outside world and that motivated me.
"As a batter, I am batting well. Whatever is in front of me, I would like to play," he added.
Rohit is set to make his return to competitive cricket in the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion, marking his first match since the World Cup final. Despite the setback in the World Cup final, Sharma appears focused and prepared for his debut Test series in South Africa as captain.
Historically, Rohit's performance in South Africa has been modest, with an average slightly over 15 in four Tests, accumulating just 123 runs. However, since his transformation as a Test opener in 2019, expectations are high for a more impactful performance in this series.
Rohit's recent form has been outstanding, especially noted during the World Cup. He was a key player for India, scoring 597 runs with a remarkable strike rate of 125. His role as an aggressor at the top of the order was pivotal, contributing significantly to India's strong starts in the matches, including the semi-final and final. His fearless approach and aggression against the bowlers were highlights of his play.
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