By Rohit Sharma electrified the 2023 World Cup with his high-risk, ultra-aggressive approach. Exploiting familiar Indian conditions, he attacked from the start, giving India a head start that was crucial for their near-successful campaign in the 50-over championship. Scoring nearly 600 runs (597) at a strike rate of over 126, he emerged as one of the tournament’s batting stars.
Now, in the United States and New York, the format is different, the conditions are tough, and the pitch challenges the batting line-ups. Is Rohit ready to continue his all-out attack against the bowlers? No, he aims for a more balanced approach, respecting the challenging conditions.
“I want to play my game in a very balanced way. I don’t want to be too aggressive or too cautious. I want to find that right balance,” the skipper said on the eve of the game against Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup. “The conditions do matter. Here in New York, you can’t just go and play freely or swing your bat like at other venues. You have to be mindful. That’s where I want to use my experience. But, I want to keep that balance of not being too aggressive and not too cautious. I want to stay in the middle.”
India has played one match so far, with Rohit as the highest scorer in an eight-wicket win over Ireland, scoring an unbeaten 52 off 37 deliveries at a strike rate of 140. What stood out in that innings was his preparedness to wait rather than taking the plunge straight away. Ireland was easier opposition than Pakistan, against whom Rohit seeks to strike a balance between caution and aggression.
“Someone has to put pressure on the bowlers to try and do something different. Otherwise, it’s an easy game for them. They just hit that length and let the pitch do the rest. Unless the batters try something different, the bowlers won’t change their plans. That’s my understanding. You have to be innovative, brave, and take those options. There’s a reason we’re playing eight batters. Someone has to play freely at the top and try to get those runs quickly.”
Rohit Focuses on Achieving ‘Balance’ in Batting Style
Apart from Rohit, Virat Kohli is another key batter for India against their arch-rivals. In five games, Kohli has scored 308 runs and has only been dismissed by Pakistan once. He can be a major advantage for India and a significant challenge for Pakistan. However, Rohit emphasizes that the team does not rely on one player.
“I don’t want to rely on one or two individuals to win us the game. Everyone needs to contribute. There are key players who will play key roles, but everyone needs to chip in however they can, in their best possible way. The experience he has, playing worldwide and in big tournaments, is invaluable. Like him, everyone has responsibilities to fetch us those two points.”
When asked if India enjoyed an advantage, having played two games in New York while Pakistan hasn’t played or practiced there yet, Rohit replied, “Yes, to an extent, we’ve played cricket here longer. But this is New York, not our home. We might have spent 6-7 days more, but it rained for 3-4 days. We didn’t get much practice. We played two matches, so we have that much more experience.
“But we don’t know which wicket we will play on here. The wicket behaves differently every day. For both teams, the conditions will be the same. According to me, the team that plays good cricket that day will win. It’s not about spending more time in New York; it’s about playing well in the given conditions.”
