India opener Rohit Sharma has been a headache for the Team India management as well as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), of late. He is recovering from a hamstring strain he suffered during the just-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL), which has put his place in Team India in doubt, ahead of the all-important Australia tour.
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He is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, where he is assessing his fitness, as he is set to be apart of the Tests, Down Under. Meanwhile, he spoke exclusively to PTI, speaking on his recovery and how he is looking forward to the Australian tour. Here are the excerpts:
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On his batting spot"I will tell you the same thing that I have told everyone all this while. I will be happy to bat wherever the team wants me to, but I don't know if they would change my role as an opener. I am sure the guys already in Australia must have figured out what are options when Virat leaves and who are the guys who will open the innings. Once I reach there, I will probably have a clearer idea of what's going to happen. I will be okay to bat wherever they want."
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On batting in Australia"We talk about bounce, but except for Perth, over the past few years, the other grounds (Adelaide, MCG, SCG), I don't think have that much bounce. Nowadays, especially while opening the batting, I will have to think about not playing the cut or pull shots and focus on playing in the 'V' and as straight as possible."
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On facing Aussie pacers"With new ball, whoever bowls, whether it's Starc, Cummins or Hazlewood, they will obviously pitch it up, swing the ball and the bouncer would be used sparingly. They would try to ensure with the new ball that they would get some movement off the air or off the pitch. With the new ball, everybody in the world loves to bowl up and send down one odd bouncer, here and there. So, majority of the deliveries will be up and towards the bat and not short."
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On Australia's bouncy tracks"We talk about bounce on Australian tracks. But, tell me how many people got out on bouncers during the last series? When we played in Perth in 2018-19, it was Nathan Lyon, who got eight wickets including a five-for. In Australia, half the job is done if you can start well upfront."
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On his recent Test batting"It's going to be challenging. In general, international cricket is never easy, whichever format it is. When you had such a long lay off (from international cricket), it becomes all the more difficult. So, I would be focusing on basics of red-ball cricket and then, you can top up with other things. That's how I would like to take it forward. You can't just jump the gun and think too far ahead."
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His key to success and the biggest learning"Once you have your basics strong, you can work around that and build your own technique. Mentally, that's how you prepare. Mentally, I am prepared and I have had enough setbacks in my career, where I have had long lay-offs due to injury and due to form. I know how to come back and bounce back from that. For me, being out for three, six or one month, really doesn't matter. What matters to me is the process."
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