Rohit says he is not too worried about his form

Indian captain Rohit Sharma at a press conference ahead of the first ODI against England in Nagpur.
| Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK

A combative Rohit Sharma clearly stated that he is not too worried about his form and is instead focussing on the road ahead.

During the customary pre-match press conference ahead of the first ODI against England on Wednesday, the skipper was not pleased when asked if he is looking forward to returning to a format in which he has had a lot of success, considering his lean run in Tests in the last few months.

“What kind of a question is that?” snapped Rohit before adding, “This is a different format, different time. As cricketers, we know there will be ups and downs, and I have faced a lot in my career, so this is nothing new to me.’

“I am looking forward to the challenge, not looking at what has happened in the past. A lot of good things have happened as well. It’s important that I focus on what is coming up and what lies ahead for me. It is as simple as that. Look to try and start the series on a high.”

On Varun Chakaravarthy’s inclusion into the squad and the possibility of him even playing in the Champions Trophy, Rohit felt it is something that could be discussed.

“He has certainly shown something different. I understand that it was in T20 format, but he has got something different. So we just wanted to have an option and see what we can do with him. During the series, it presents us an opportunity to play him at some stage and see what he is capable of.”

“Right now, we are not thinking about whether we are going to take him or not but definitely, he will be in contention. If things plan out really well for us and he does what is required, then there is something that we need to think about,” said Rohit.

When asked if the team will look to continue the approach that they followed during the 2023 World Cup, Rohit said it is something that they would consider.

“There is a certain type of cricket we want to play. Whether it means we have to go and do what we did in the World Cup, we will try and do that. Guys know exactly what is required of each one of us. It’s been a while since we played this format, so it’s just about coming together and trying to (pick from) where we left off during the World Cup.”