As the captain of the Indian team, he acknowledged the unfamiliarity of the environment and its accompanying difficulties. However, Rohit emphasised the team’s professionalism, highlighting their ability to adapt and perform despite the adversities.
Rohit won the toss and opted to bowl against Ireland in their opening Group A match of the T20 World Cup at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Wednesday.
“We’re going to bowl. Preparations have been alright. Have been managing ourselves in these new conditions. Has been challenging but we are all professionals. We played on a similar pitch and do know what to expect a little bit.
“I know it’s going to be slightly different from what we’re used to. But that’s what the sport is. Not sure about the conditions too much, so thought having a target in front of us would be good. Guys missing out are Kuldeep, Sanju, Jaiswal and one more,” Rohit said at the toss.
The shift in conditions, including different pitches and climates, poses unique challenges, but Rohit’s confidence in the team’s capability to navigate through them remains steadfast. With professionalism as their guiding principle, the team is focused on overcoming these obstacles and delivering their best on the field.
Playing XIs:
India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh.
Ireland: Paul Stirling (Captain), Andrew Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little, Benjamin White.