New Delhi: With cricket being played throughout the year, India captain Rohit Sharma feels that having a solid bench strength is paramount and the team is trying to build one with an eye on the future.
Since their shock group-stage elimination in the last T20 World Cup, India have been experimenting with their squads, with injuries and workload management also playing a part in it.
“We play a lot of cricket, so there will be injuries and workload management, so we have to rotate players,” Rohit said on Star Sports’ Follow the Blues.
“But it gives strength to our bench to go and play the game, so we can try so many other guys who are ready to get on the international stage and perform,” he added.
He said the objective should be to improve every day as a team.
“I don’t know what to expect, but especially for me, it’s just getting better every day as a team,” Rohit said.
“Whether you win or lose the series, it can’t take precedence. What should take priority is whether we are improving as a team.
“The goal of the team is important and then obviously the part where individuals come into play and play a role in the success of the team. But whatever the team is trying to do, individuals have to buy into that thought process and work towards that.”
While Rohit succeeded Virat Kohli as India’s all-format captain, India also had a new coach at the end of last year’s T20 World Cup, with Ravi Shastri making way for Rahul Dravid, who was the captain when Rohit made his debut his in ODIs.
Rohit spoke about the conversations they have had since taking over the reins of the Indian cricket team.
“When he became the coach here, we met and sat together in a room for a while and decided how we want to take this team forward,” Rohit said.
“He was pretty much in the same thought process as me. It made it easier for me to give a clear message to the boys because the coach and the captain always have to be on the same page for the team to go in the same direction.
“One thing we have decided and have in common is that we want to send the right messages and we don’t want to create any confusion in the group.
“That’s something we talked about and of course, we wanted to change the style of cricket as well. We wanted to play a certain way in all the three formats and he was ready to accept all that,” said Rohit.
