Georgetown, Guyana: Indian captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday said his team was focused on staying calm and keeping things simple in their tense T20 World Cup semi-final against England, admitting that they have struggled with the fear of failure in the past.
The Indian team will be looking to take revenge for the crushing 10-wicket defeat they suffered in the semi-finals of the 2022 mega event at the Adelaide Oval when they face England.
“It’s a bit of both,” Rohit said when asked if fear of failure or bad luck had let his team down in previous attempts to win a World Cup.
“We want to treat this like a normal game. We don’t want to talk about it being a semi-final. We are enjoying each other’s company and we have to move on. It’s a knockout game. If you think too much, it won’t help,” he stressed.
The 37-year-old Mumbaikar said he expects his teammates to play smart cricket on Thursday.
“Honestly, not much has changed since 2022. We have tried to play with a clear head, both T20 and ODIs. It all depends on the conditions, which have been challenging here throughout the tournament,” Rohit said at the pre-match press conference.
“We want to be an intelligent cricket team. I have kept things simple personally and also for the players. We have done well with the clarity of roles and rely on the players to make good decisions on the field.
“Everyone knows they have to do their job. We don’t have to change anything from 2022 to 2024,” he explained the team’s philosophy.
Rohit had taken the lead with a brilliant 41-ball 92-run knock against Australia in the decisive Super Eight match. The captain said what has helped him over the years is staying calm.
“It’s important to stay cool and calm. Staying calm has helped me over the years. But sometimes you can lose your cool. I’m happy to let you do what you want, but if it’s at the expense of the team, then I won’t let you. Indian cricket teams are always under pressure. Most of the guys are used to it.”
The wickets in the Caribbean are conducive to spin bowling, but Rohit remained non-committal on whether the team will have four spinners. Wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel have performed superbly so far in the West Indian leg of the tournament.
“We will assess the conditions and then make a decision regarding the four spinners. We will see.”
Published 26 June 2024, 17:03 IS
