As the captain of the Indian cricket team, Rohit Sharma acknowledges the looming pressure ahead of the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup on home soil. However, he emphasizes the importance of setting aside that pressure and concentrating on the task at hand.
India, with two previous Men’s ODI World Cup titles in 1983 and 2011, aims to secure a historic third championship. This edition marks India’s unique role as the sole host, following its previous co-hosting responsibilities in 1987, 1996, and 2011.
Sharma reassured, “All these guys are quite used to going through that pressure, whether it’s playing India or away from India, pressure is something that is not going to leave a sportsman. As long as you play the sport, the pressure is always going to be there.”
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He emphasizes the importance of staying focused on the task at hand and the confidence that meticulous preparation instills. “So keep that aside, focus on the job at hand. It’s very easy to say that, but it’s going to be tough. But I’m sure, we prepared really well, and as long as you prepare really well, that gives you a lot of confidence going into any game,” stated Sharma during the ICC Captains Call in Ahmedabad.
Reflecting on his role as captain, Sharma expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “I’m very grateful to be leading this team into this World Cup. I’ve seen the history of the World Cup being played and the people who have taken part in this World Cup. So I’m quite lucky to be leading this team into this World Cup. It’s quite exciting at the same time.”
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The past three editions of the Men’s ODI World Cup have been won by host nations – India (2011), Australia (2015), and England (2019). However, Sharma is not overly concerned about this sequence continuing in 2023. “Not thinking too much about it. Honestly, (while) it has happened in the last three editions of the World Cup, but all I can say is we’re going to try our best, give it our best, and enjoy the tournament.”
Sharma emphasized that due to the tournament’s round-robin format, India cannot afford to look too far ahead and must focus on one match at a time. “That’s all I can say at this point in time. Because you know it’s a pretty long tournament, and I do understand that you can’t get too far ahead of yourself. So it’s important for us that we try and focus on one job at a time and then move on.”
India’s preparation for the Men’s ODI World Cup faced setbacks with both of their warm-up matches against England and Netherlands being washed out due to rain. They will now commence their World Cup campaign with an opening match against Australia on October 8 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
-IANS
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