India's captain Rohit Sharma openly said that the defeat in the World Cup final was a disappointment for him and his teammates. However, they have actively worked to put it behind them and focus on the current job at hand. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the first Test against South Africa, Rohit said that the team is eager to achieve something big as a reward for their hard work behind the scenes.
Following the ODI World Cup 2023, Rohit, along with Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, took an extended break. He chose not to participate in the T20I series against Australia at home, and, similarly to Kohli, he was granted a break from the white-ball segment of the South Africa tour.
The 36-year-old reached South Africa last week and took charge of India's training in Pretoria and Centurion. He actively participated in the behind-closed-doors intra-squad match at Tuks Oval and led the full squad's training session at SuperSport Park in Centurion. Making his intentions clar, the Indian skipper said that the team is determined to secure victory in the Test series in South Africa, a feat that no previous visiting Indian sides have accomplished.
When questioned about his eagerness to win the upcoming major white-ball event, the T20 World Cup in 2024, Rohit responded in a manner that didn't reveal much, keeping his cards close to his chest.
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There is widespread speculation about Rohit's future in T20Is because he hasn't played in the shortest format since India got out of the T20 World Cup semis in 2022. Some heard rumours that Rohit would lead India in the T20I series against South Africa this month, but he decided to take a break. During his break, Suryakumar Yadav led the team.
"Desperation is always there to play good cricket. Everybody wants to do well. Whenever we get opportunity, we want to do well. Everybody is keen on it. I know what you are trying to say. Milega, aapko jawab milega uska (you will get the answer to it soon)," Rohit said on the eve of the first Test.
Hardik Pandya assumed the role of leading the Indian T20I side in 2023 while Rohit directed his efforts toward preparations for the ODI World Cup and the earlier Test series in the year. However, Hardik has been sidelined due to an injury sustained during a match against Bangladesh in the World Cup.
The prospect of Rohit captaining the T20I team in the upcoming World Cup remains uncertain. It is improbable that the India captain will participate in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in January, as the focus will be on the significant five-match Test series against England starting on January 25.
The recent development of the 30-year-old taking over as captain for the Mumbai Indians (MI) has fueled speculation regarding Rohit's future in the T20I format of the game.
'BIG SERIES IN ITSELF'
Rohit aims to capitalise on the opportunity in South Africa, aspiring to be the first Indian captain to secure a Test series victory in the Rainbow Nation. Having never led in South Africa previously, the seasoned campaigner seeks to overcome the disappointment of the heartbreaking World Cup final defeat.
While Rohit emphasised that comparing the World Cup to a series win in South Africa is not fair, he underscored the team's eagerness to emerge victorious in every opportunity that comes their way.
"This is a big series in itself. There is a lot of history. If we are able to achieve something, it will be good for the team. Kuch bada humko chaiye. Everybody is desperate for that, not just the senior players. I hope we do well in the series, we have the tools to do it. We have to try and have fun. We want to play freely," he added.
The first Test is scheduled to commence at 1:30 pm IST on December 26. However, the weather forecast predicts wet conditions for the first two days. India's training session had to be moved indoors due to rainfall on December 25.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)
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