India’s Rohit Sharma ready to defeat Australia for the very first time

Joy Chakravarty 17:22 25/03/2015
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • The final beckons: India's Rohit Sharma.

    India haven’t beaten Australia even once since they started their tour four months ago, and have won only one ODI match against the hosts in 14 attempts at Sydney Cricket Ground.

    – #360view: How India can beat Australia in #CWC15 semi-final
    – India's game no different than any other – Australia's Michael Clarke

    One would think those kind of stats would put some serious worry lines on the foreheads of the Indian team. But this squad is different. There’s no looking back. All they are interested in is trying to stay in the present and looking at the future.

    Rohit Sharma, the stylish opener who scored a patient 137 against Bangladesh in the quarter-finals, says it is all the result of changed attitude.

    On the eve of their World Cup semi-final match against Australia, the 27-year-old Sharma said the team was not carrying any scars from the past and summed up what was different with Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team, which has now won seven matches on the trot.

    “I think it is our attitude. It is something that has changed completely from what it was before,” said the man who holds record of the highest ever ODI score of 264.

    “Everyone’s enjoying each other’s successes, whether it is bowling, batting or fielding. Everyone is enjoying the moment, and we just have to stay in the present and look forward to the semifinal. We have played in big matches, so we know what it takes to come out as a winner.

    “Hopefully, we can start well tomorrow. That will be very crucial whether we bat or bowl. I think it will be important for us to stay in the present. There is a big crowd, so just enjoy the moment and stay focused on what needs to be done.

    “I don’t think the past matters because we are playing some different cricket now. What has happened, has happened, and we have left it right there.”

    There has been a sea-change also in the mental make-up of the team. Once considered the meekest team in world cricket who could be easily intimidated, every member of the team is feisty and has learnt the art of giving it back as good as they get it themselves.

    Sharma said he expected the match today to be intense, where words would be said, but that wasn’t needed to fire him up and play competitively.

    “You must have noticed this throughout the series when we played the Test Matches against Australia, no one in the backed down. Both the teams were right on each other’s faces. It’s part of the game, I guess,” said the man who had a verbal spat with Mitchell Johnson during the Test series.

    “I just hope it doesn’t cross the line. As professional cricketers, we all know there are boundaries which we don’t need to cross. As long as it’s inside those boundaries, we are fine.

    “But look…whenever I wear this India jersey, it’s a motivation. I don’t need someone else to pump me up. Whenever I wear that India cap I know I need to go and perform. I don’t need anyone else to come and talk or whatever it is. It doesn’t matter to me.”

    Sharma also said the team was unperturbed by all the talks of the pitch aiding spinners, which would be to their own advantage. He said India won’t mind any kind of pitch given the recent form of their entire bowling unit.

    “It doesn’t matter to us because if you look at the tournament we have taken 70 wickets in seven games, and it's been distributed amongst the spinners and the fast bowlers,” said Sharma.

    “So, it doesn’t matter how the wicket behaves and 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.

    “Every team 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 out for 150. Even the other night in Adelaide against Pakistan, they seemed to be in a little bit of trouble.

    “Overall, they are a good batting unit. But, again, we are a different bowling attack. We have to stick to our strengths.”

    India are expected to go into the match with an unchanged playing eleven from the one that played the quarter-final against Bangladesh.

    Recommended