ICC T20 World Cup 2022: 'We will miss Jasprit Bumrah' - Rohit Sharma

The Indian side could not have risked playing star pacer Jasprit Bumrah in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia with a dodgy back, while his replacement seamer Mohammad Shami has nearly fully recovered from COVID-19, as Indian skipper Rohit Sharma confirmed the same on Saturday. Speaking at the captains' media session ahead of the T20WC in Melbourne, Rohit provided an update on Shami, who has been rushed into the squad despite not playing a competitive match since July.

"Shami had COVID two-three weeks ago. He was called to the NCA then, worked hard for the last 10 days, and is in Brisbane. He will practice with us tomorrow. Whatever we have heard about his recovery is positive. He did three four bowling sessions with full intensity. We have made a lot of effort to do player management over the last 12 months, but injuries happen. If you see, whoever has come into the squad has got matches under his belt," Rohit stated.

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Bumrah was ruled out of the competition with a stress-related back injury, leaving a massive hole in the bowling department. While the batting has come a long way in the last year, India's bowling remains a significant concern. "Bumrah is a quality bowler. We spoke to many specialists about his injury, but the response was not very optimistic. World Cup is important, but his career is more important. He is only 27-28," reckoned Rohit.

"We could not have risked playing him here. That is what the specialists also said. We will miss him. Injuries are unfortunate but inevitable, which is one of the main reasons why India focused on creating a bigger pool of players over the last 12 months," Rohit added. In batting or bowling, India provided ample opportunities to youngsters following its early exit from the T20WC a year ago in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), besides hurriedly changing its playing style.

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"Injuries are part and parcel of the sport. If you play so many matches, injuries will happen. Our focus in the last year has been on increasing our bench strength. You must have seen we played new guys whenever there was an opportunity," maintained Rohit. Rohit also clarified that his side has to make the most of available resources rather than pondering on the ones injured.

"There is no point being disappointed about it. What needs to be done is the important thing. It was a conscious effort to come here early. We played two practice games and had two more to go. We will be fully prepared before the first game [versus Pakistan on October 23]. There are no last-minute decisions to be made. All the concerned players have been informed in advance," attested Rohit, referring to India's playing XI for the big clash.

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Rohit also has high expectations from Suryakumar Yadav in this event. Over the past year, he has been India's number-one Twenty20 (T20) batter. "He is in good form. I hope he continues in that fashion in the middle order. He is a very confident and fearless player and uses his skill sets well," he noted.

'We understand importance of Indo-Pak contest'
The most awaited T20WC clash is the India-Pakistan tie at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on October 23. While players from both sides share a mutual relationship with each other and, of late, have looked somewhat calm before the big tie, fans on both sides of the border contribute immensely to building the hype around the contest.

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Rohit and his Pakistani counterpart Babar Azam also relaxed at the captains' media meet. Unsurprisingly, out of the 16 captains, most questions were reserved for Rohit and Babar. They were also asked what they usually talk about when they meet during tournaments. "We don't even talk about cricket. Rohit bhai is older than me. I try to learn about the game from him. He has achieved a lot, and I try to pick whatever I can from him," exposed Babar.

With his response, Rohit freshened up the mood by saying, "Babar is right. We understand the importance of the game, but there is no point in discussing it and creating that pressure within yourself. Whenever we meet, we ask about each other's families. I have met all his teammates. Even our former players told us what they said. It is usually about 'how their families are, how their life is, what new car they have bought or going to buy'. It is mainly that."