Wednesday 05 / February / 2025
New Delhi: On the eve of India’s home series-opener against Bangladesh, stand-in captain Rohit Sharma expected nothing short of a fiercely-contested series.
Rohit is captaining India in the absence of regular skipper Virat Kohli, who has been rested for the three-match series. But while Kohli’s absence impacts India, it is not to the same extent that the hosts are bound to be hit by the absence of their two best players, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal.
Regardless, Rohit wouldn’t write off Bangladesh, given the strides they have made as a limited-overs outfit. They have pushed India to the limit on several occasions, most memorably during the ICC World T20 2016 game in Bengaluru, and in the finals of the Nidahas Trophy and the Asia Cup last year.
"Bangladesh is a very very good team," Rohit said. "Over the years, we have seen how they have performed, not just at home, but also away. Especially against us, they have always put us under pressure. There is no way we look at this team differently.
"I understand there are two key players missing, but they still have quality players that can upset any team. I wouldn't say 'upset'. I would say 'beat'. That's a good word to use. They are very mature cricketers now."
As for India, their squad for the series is replete with youngsters, such as Khaleel Ahmed, the Chahar brothers – Deepak and Rahul, Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson and Washington Sundar. Some of these players come with vast IPL experience, and success, but international cricket is a different beast, and Rohit called on them to maximise every opportunity they get with the national side. "That is the challenge of international cricket," he said. "You will not get exactly what you want. You will have to work your way, you will have to earn that position.
"Plus, at the same time, you have to make sure that whatever little opportunities you get, you make the most of it. At their IPL franchises, they are more or less guaranteed to play at least 10 games, so they know how to bat and what to do. When it comes to international cricket, there are limited opportunities. All of us have gone through that. It's not just these guys, and I am sure they are working towards that. They are very keen and hungry to do well in those limited opportunities."
As for his own goals as captain, Rohit said that his primary responsibility is to embolden his players to express themselves the way they like. "In T20, you need a lot of strategy, planning, understanding the players, what you have in your squad and what they can offer,” he said. “That is the most important thing for a captain to understand. That is something I have probably executed at Mumbai Indians, with the help of the support staff we have.
"The way I look at it is when you captain your side, you are not such an important person. The other 10 players are the most important players because you want to get the best out of those 10 players. Of course, your performance will matter, but I don't like to consider myself at the forefront. The other 10 guys become the forefront of the team, and I have to focus on them and give them that confidence and freedom where they can come out and express themselves.
"At the same time, you need that support from the players as well, which I have got very well at Mumbai Indians, and even when I have captained India for whatever little time I have. I expect the same in this tournament as well."
