The much-anticipated ICC World Cup is set to take place in India from October to November this year.
The Dilect: Rohit Sharma, The Indian captain, has expressed his reluctance to face Pakistan’s rapid bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi or Australia’s pace spearhead Mitchell Starc at the upcoming ICC World Cup. According to Sharma, both of them were “highly formidable” opponents.
India will host the upcoming World Cup 2023 from October to November. The 36-year-old Rohit Sharma will captain his team for the third time in this prestigious tournament.
In 2022, Rohit Sharma led the Indian team to the ICC T20 World Cup semifinals before they were defeated by England. In 2023, he led the team to the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia.
ALSO READ : ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Tickets Sales
Rohit Sharma fielded some compelling questions in an interview with the ICC, answering them in his unique manner.
When asked about his preference between facing Australia’s Starc or Pakistan’s Shaheen, he responded: “I don’t want to choose between either, since both possess exceptional qualities: they are quite menacing with the new ball, adept at swinging, and boast considerable pace. As a result, neither of them would be my choice.”
Rather than executing cover drives, Rohit Sharma opted to counter pace bowlers rather than spinners.
Furthermore, Sharma opened up about his disappointment in not being included in India’s World Cup squad in 2011.
As Rohit told the ICC, “2011 remains a cherished memory for all of us. I remember watching every match from the comfort of my own home. I was overcome with feelings of exclusion and disappointment,” he said.
He added, “I made a conscious decision to abstain from watching the World Cup. However, I can’t ignore the second aspect of my memories, which was India’s exceptional performance during the latter stages of the tournament. A pivotal quarterfinal clash against Pakistan comes to mind.”
He reflected, “I can understand the immense pressure players undergo during high-stakes games, which is only heightened during the semifinal match against Australia.”
Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led India to its last ICC trophy in 2013 under his leadership, ending a 10-year drought. It was the ICC Champions Trophy that brought this victory to the team.
