T20 World Cup 2024: Rohit Sharma hopes for quick acclimatisation of NY pitch ahead mega tournament
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma emphasized the urgency for his team to swiftly adapt to the pitch and prevailing conditions before their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Ireland on June 5.
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FollowTaking in the splendor of the newly-erected Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, USA, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma emphasized the urgency for his team to swiftly adapt to the pitch and prevailing conditions before their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Ireland on June 5.
However, Rohit and his team will have the opportunity to assess the pitch's characteristics and overall conditions when they square off against Bangladesh in a warm-up match scheduled for Saturday. This encounter stands as India's sole training fixture preceding the prestigious ICC event.
The warm-up match holds significant importance for India as their scheduled matches will commence at 10:30 AM local time, necessitating the players to acclimate to daytime fixtures following their participation in evening matches during the IPL over the past two months.
"We're looking to understand the conditions more importantly (before the tournament proper) as we haven't been here before," Rohit told ICC.
The Mumbai-native stressed the importance of his team finding their "rhythm" before the tournament kicks off, aiming to utilize the upcoming warm-up match as a catalyst.
"(We will) try and make the most of the conditions, get used to what it's going to be like on June 5 when we play our first game," he added.
Adapting to the drop-in turf poses a unique challenge for the Indian squad, a surface they encounter less frequently in international cricket.
"It's just about getting into that rhythm of getting the feel of the ground, pitch and stuff like that," he said.
Rohit, along with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel, formed the initial contingent of Indian cricketers arriving on May 26.
In addition to match preparations, Rohit took a moment to appreciate the venue's scenic beauty.
"It looks beautiful. It's quite an open ground. When we come here and play our first game, I just can't wait to feel the atmosphere in the stadium. It's a decent capacity as well. Hopefully it's gonna be a good one," the Indian skipper added.
Expressing hope, Rohit anticipated a strong turnout of fans at the stadium for their matches.
"People in New York will be very interested in coming and watching the World Cup, as it is happening for the first time here. I'm pretty sure all the fans across various teams are quite excited and looking forward to this tournament. And also as players (we) can't wait to get started," he noted.
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