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ICC CRICKET WORLD CUPMarch 25, 2015Rohit SharmaSYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES Q. Eight of you played in the Champions Trophy final two years ago, three of your other teammates played in the World Cup final in 2011. Do you think those kind of experiences will help in a big game like tomorrow? ROHIT SHARMA: I think so, because we know how to play big games. We've been part of it even in Champions Trophy and also in 2011. We bring the best out of everyone during those big matches, so, yes, we look forward to this and hopefully it will be an exciting contest. Q. This city has a history of favoriting spin bowlers. Do you think spin is going to play a role in this match? ROHIT SHARMA: We'll see. It all depends on the wicket and how it is. Of course if you look at the history of SCG it gives a lot of time to the spin bowlers and spinners have actually come out and bowled really well. If you see the Test Matches also we've played against Australia, spinners played a huge part. So I feel if it does, we've got the spinners to do it. Q. A similar question, what is the best case scenario from an Indian point of view? You prefer what the spinners are doing, will you prefer a grassy green wicket or a flat wicket? ROHIT SHARMA: It doesn't matter to us because if you look at the tournament we've taken 70 wickets in 7 games, and it's been distributed by the spinners and the fast bowlers. So it doesn't matter how the wicket behaves whether it's going to give the fast bowlers a lot of assistance or the spinners. We've got everything covered up in those two areas. Our spinners have really bowled well in the tournament and so have the fast bowlers. So it's a good sign to go into the semifinal. Yes, as I said, we just need to keep doing what we've been doing. I think the bowlers have done a fantastic job throughout the tournament. So I just hope they can come out and do it tomorrow as well. Q. Seven years ago India won the series here in Australia, and you were just making your first steps at the top level of cricket at the time. You played one important knock at least. What memories do you have of that time and how much have you evolved? How much has your mindset changed over the years, 7 years? ROHIT SHARMA: It's been a long time 7 years. I can recall that very well. It's really fresh in my memory because it was the first final of the CB series, and the great Sachin Tendulkar was batting alongside me, so there is no way I can forget that. It was a very important game. We had to win that game and we were chasing I think about 240-odd. So, yeah, we pretty much did whatever we wanted to. As a batsman, over the years I've learned a lot of things. Certainly batting up the order has changed my game, my approach towards the game and the responsibility. I know if I'm batting top of the order there is a huge responsibility and I have to take my team through. So every time I go to bat I always think about that. Doesn't matter if I come on top or not, but at least I do that. So, yes, I've really enjoyed the last two years of batting top of the order, and, yes, hopefully the results we want, hopefully the top of the order can lay the platform for the middle order to come. Q. There has been talk about Australian players have said they reviewed sledging as a prepper, so how prepared are you as a team? ROHIT SHARMA: It's good. We must have noticed this throughout the series when we played the Test Matches against Australia. No other team batted down. Both the teams were right on each other's faces. So, it's part of the game, I guess. I just hope it doesn't cross the line. We all know as professional cricketers there are boundaries which we don't need to cross. Yeah, as long as it's inside those boundaries, we're fine. Q. Mitchell Starc has come on leaps and bounds and become the leader of the Australian attack and been deadly with new ball as well as old ball. Any specific aspects of it that you and Shikhar will try to in countering innings countering each other? ROHIT SHARMA: No, I think our approach should be the same as it has been throughout the series. We know how important it is to have that opening partnership. It sets up the game for the middle order to come and bat. So, yes, they've been bowling well, no doubt about it. But our batters have been batting well. So we know what they're capable of, and we have to stick to our strengths rather than thinking of what is happening at the other end. So we will just concentrate and try to do what we've been doing the best. And yes, as I said, it will be important for the top three to relate a platform for the batters coming in. Q. There is some talk from the Australians about scarring and what happened in the summer in the Test Matches and the Tri-Series. Does it really matter what happened in the past or is it a different India? ROHIT SHARMA: No, I don't think it matters because we're playing some different cricket now. So what has happened, has happened, we have left right there. We never want it to carry into the World Cup. We always spoke about this. We know how important the World Cup is, and we have actually come out and played really well and played some good cricket. So we just want to continue just a matter of two more errands. Q. Against Bangladesh you were not exactly going initially, you were not exactly going runner ball. For someone like you who holds the highest number of One Day runs in a One Day match, it must have been difficult for you? How did you come down to it, and later after the match, after winning the match when you heard Bangladesh making accusations right, left and center, how did you say that? ROHIT SHARMA: I say talking about my batting, that is the way I approach. It was important for me to stay there. Doesn't matter how much balls I have faced or the scoring and that kind of things because we lost important wickets at that point in time. So it was important for me to stay and bat as deep as possible. So I exactly tried that, and eventually I know my strengths in the end. I've done it before, so I know if I stay 30th or 35th, I can always come up the striker or the balls or whatever it is. So it was important for one batter to stay in it in the end. And it was me. As far as what is happening, I don't know what is happening there in Bangladesh. It's a part of the game. You've got to accept some decisions. Sometimes you don't accept some decisions, so that's what it is. Q. (No Microphone)? ROHIT SHARMA: I don't know what he said to be honest. Q. Almost all your centuries, the last 50 or 60 runs have come with 25 balls or 30 balls. So is it an instinctive thing or how does that set the pace of the innings? How does it happen? ROHIT SHARMA: I try to keep it very simple. I just bat. I don't think about balls. I don't think about runs. I just bat. Because the only thing that goes into my mind at that point in time is one batter to stay till the end. If I've seen that wicket falling in front of me, I have to make sure that I bat because I know with the power play and the five fielders inside, you can always come up and you can bat and score runs. Australia is the best place to bat. If you are set as a batsman, you can score runs quite easily. Q. Talking about you've mentioned about your evolution as a cricketer, as a batsman and from the last World Cup until now. Having played in those big matches can you talk about the routine that you apply before heading into a big match and what is your routine like, your mental approach? ROHIT SHARMA: As I said, just now, I can't keep it very simple. I obviously do things which I feel I need to, whether it's a semifinal, final or just a league game. I try to keep it very simple. I do things which I need to, and it helps my confidence going into any game, not just the semifinals. Also, if we play any triangular cities or a league game of the World Cup, I just try to keep it very simple. Go with a free mind, not too much of a burden in my head, so that's how I approach any game. Q. Do you guys as the Indian team believe you can get under the skin of Dave Warne and Shane Watson? ROHIT SHARMA: Let's see, as a team, I believe we need to stick to our game plans, which is coming hard. If they're a little bit of banters going around, so be it. But there will be times where you will see our bowlers, fielders getting right on their faces. So, yeah, but there will be times. But as a team we have to stick to our game plans and try to execute what we've been doing for the last seven games. Q. During the test series a few times he's only best when the Australians get going and he loves that sort of stuff. Do you feel you're much the same and you scored a century after running that with David Warne? ROHIT SHARMA: Oh, yeah, that was a good memory. Very much fresh in my head. Yeah, see, nothing like that. Whenever I wear this India jersey it's a motivation. I don't need someone else to pump me up. It's important for me whenever I wear that India cap I need to go and perform. I know that. I don't need anyone else to come and talk or whatever it is. So it doesn't matter to me. I bat the way I want to and nothing -- I will make sure that nothing gets into the head. I just want to play my game. It doesn't matter what people are talking about and things like that. Q. I was just wondering what you made of last night's dramatic game, how you watched it, and what you think of New Zealand's performance knowing that they're going to be in the final? ROHIT SHARMA: Yeah, I watched bits and pieces of the semifinals. It was a great game. You could see after the game there was so much emotions on the ground so, yeah, it's sad South Africa lost. I think they were playing really good cricket. But eventually you have to give a lot of credit to New Zealand. I think the way they have played throughout the tournament it was good to watch, to be honest. As a spectator, it was good to watch. Yeah, they got rewarded for what they've been doing consistently, whether it was batting, bowling or fielding. So I think they deserve to be in the finales, and yeah, hopefully we can join them. Q. Usually the captain speaks the day before the game. I was just wondering why you're speaking and not MS Dhoni? ROHIT SHARMA: Because I was asked to join the press conference. Q. Is he okay? ROHIT SHARMA: Yeah, he's fine. Q. We're all into the cricket bubble here, but this is sort of an event where people suddenly shoot in for a one off. For the casual sports fan, why is Australia versus India in a Cricket World Cup semifinal so big? ROHIT SHARMA: I think it's probably because I think if you look at probably India and Australia have been playing some good cricket in the last couple of years. Considering the fact that Australia is playing in Australia, they'll get some support and people love their cricket here. And India, obviously you know very well we've played and we've got a lot of support. So hopefully tomorrow again I think it will be more blue than yellow. Q. Do you sense any areas where Australia may be more vulnerable? Whether it's good quality fast bowling or a good quality spin bowl? ROHIT SHARMA: Yeah, I think so. Everything has some kind of weakness, and Australia's got some as well. They have definitely struggled against some quality fast bowling. If you look at the game against New Zealand, they got up for 150. Even the other night in Adelaide against Pakistan they seemed to be in a little bit of trouble. But overall they're a good batting unit. There is no doubt about it. But, again, we are a different bowling attack. We have to stick to our strengths. So we have our ways to come and counter them. Whether it will be spin bowling or fast bowling, you'll see that tomorrow. Q. Most of the shots that you played are very good looking shots. Do you ever try to practice an ugly shot or an innovative looking shot? Do you practice them? Do you make a conscious effort to do that? ROHIT SHARMA: That's a very interesting question. If I played good shots, I don't think I need to play any ugly shots. I should just stick to good shots and cricketing shots. Q. Given the format of the game, 20 Twenty and ODI? ROHIT SHARMA: I, yeah, I don't know about that to be honest. I just -- it's important when you play those big shots, it's important a lot of basics and a lot of technical issues goes into that particular thing. You have to hold your shape, and a lot of things go into that. So you just do that. I don't think if you can stand straight and hit straight over the bowlers, I don't think there is any reason for you to play those fancy shots. Q. (No Microphone) a performance since the team landed here. How do you stay relaxed in a long tournament like this, and how do you not miss home? ROHIT SHARMA: Yeah, when you're away for four months, you definitely miss home, there is no doubt. But we are here on a mission and the mission is to win the World Cup. So when we finish the Tri-Series, I know it was two and a half months then. None of the guys thought about going back. We were right there and we just wanted to create history here. So, yeah, it's been tough, but if you look at the way the last one and a half months has gone, it's been really good. So we have to make the last four months we have spent here a reward by winning the semifinals and the finals. We don't mind for staying away for five months that way. Q. You've spoken about big games and how the team knows how to play big games. What do you think will make -- what is the one thing which would make the biggest difference or the biggest impact in this semifinal? ROHIT SHARMA: I think our attitude. I think it is something which has changed completely from what it was before. Everyone's enjoying each other's successes, whether it was bowling, batting or fielding. Everyone is enjoying the moment, and we just have to stay in the present and look forward to the semifinal. And we know, as I said at the start of the interview, we have played in big matches, so we know what it takes to come out as a winner. So hopefully we can start well tomorrow. That will be very crucial whether we bat or bowl. We have to start the tournament and start the game really well. Then you'll see as the game progresses, you'll see where you stand at that point of time and think about it and then analyze. So I think it will be important for us to stay in the present. There is a big crowd, so just enjoy the moment and just focus on what you need to do. I'm sure all the Indians are prepared and geared up and ready to go. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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