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Captaining India In Tests Was A Huge Thing For Me: Rohit Sharma

Mumbai: Rohit Sharma, who was named Team India’s new Test captain ahead of the Sri Lanka Tests, has said captaining in red-ball cricket was a huge thing for him.

The 34-year-old was named India’s new Test captain ahead of the series against Sri Lanka after Virat Kohli stepped down following the loss in South Africa. Sharma gave the team an easy 2-0 win as India won the pink-ball Test in Bengaluru within three days.

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Asked about his experience leading India in the traditional format of the game, the cricketer said in the post-match conference:

“I haven’t captained much in red-ball cricket. I have done that in a few matches in the Ranji Trophy. It was a big deal for me to captain in Test matches. The team supported me a lot. People were telling me what to do and what not to do. There are many senior players in our team who understand the game very well. They were giving their inputs and there was my reading of the game as well.”

Explaining the principle of his captaincy, Rohit Sharma said that he likes to take decisions keeping in mind the situation of the game. The opener said:

“Ultimately, I go by my instincts. My philosophy as a captain is that you need to take the right decision at a given point in time, keeping the game situation in mind. I try to analyze all these things on the ground.”

“I’ve seen five of our bowlers bowling for some time now, so I know their strengths and weaknesses. I try to read the opposition as well. Not all decisions are made by you but on the type of decisions. Your percentages move forward. In our own way and accordingly.”

After setting Sri Lanka a target of 447, India was bundled out for 208 on Monday despite Dimuth Karunaratne’s 107-run knock.

Talking about the Test team’s long-term goals, Rohit Sharma admitted that he wants to finalize the World Test Championship. However, he added that he is not looking too far and is focusing on the present. The Indian captain said:

“The long-term target is obviously to go and play the final of the World Test Championship. But honestly, we cannot look that far ahead because it doesn’t work like that. You just have to look at what is happening in the present. There are a few steps that you need to climb to reach that top place. Having lost the series in South Africa, it was critical for us to make an impact and get those crucial points for the World Test Championship table.”

Indian players signed with the franchise will now take part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to be held from March 26 to May 29.

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