Rohit Sharma plays down India's poor Asia Cup form ahead of World Cup

Published September 7, 2022
India’s captain Rohit Sharma leaves the field at the end of the Asia Cup Twenty20 international cricket Super Four match between India and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on September 6. — AFP
India’s captain Rohit Sharma leaves the field at the end of the Asia Cup Twenty20 international cricket Super Four match between India and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on September 6. — AFP

Successive defeats by Pakistan and Sri Lanka have left India on the brink of exiting the Asia Cup but captain Rohit Sharma is not concerned about their form ahead of next month's T20 World Cup.

Sri Lanka defeated defending champions India by six wickets with a ball to spare in a Super Four match on Tuesday at the continental T20 tournament, which is being held in the United Arab Emirates.

Rohit's team also lost to arch-rivals Pakistan in their first Super Four match,, and India's hopes of making Sunday's final depend on other results going in their favour.

Since winning the 50-overs World Cup at home in 2011 and the ICC Champions Trophy two years later, India have failed to win a global event.

“In tournaments like Asia Cup and World Cup, where there are multiple opponents, there is more pressure,” Rohit told reporters.

“In a bilateral series you play against the same opposition for three-five matches so you can plan better.

“Our job is to guide the players in making better decisions in pressure situations.”

Just over a month out from the T20 World Cup in Australia, Rohit said there will be very few changes to the squad.

“The team is 90-95 per cent settled. Few changes will happen, that's about it,” he said.

“There are lot of questions that we need to answer and in the last three or four series that we've played, we've found some answers. There will be a time where we will draw the line and we'll say this is the combination that we're going to play.”

The Asia Cup defeats had not dampened the squad's spirits, said Rohit.

“All the players are relaxed and chilled,” added Rohit, who bats at the top of the order.

“We want to maintain an atmosphere in the dressing room which does not change based on a win or a loss. There's nothing lacking as such, the team has quality.

“We have played and won so many matches.”

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...