- By Ankit Bisht
- Wed, 04 Oct 2023 09:28 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India captain Rohit Sharma wants his teammates to focus on the 'job at hand' - lifting the third ODI World Cup title - and hit the isolation mode to cut off the outside noise ahead of the showpiece event.
India will be reeling under a lot of pressure to add another title at their home World Cup as spectators eye a repeat of the 2011 World Cup glory.
When asked about will India continue the streak of winning the World Cup on home turf which the MS Dhoni-led side started in 2011 and followed by Australia (in 2015) and England (in 2019), Rohit said the players are not thinking about that and will put their best foot forward.
“We need not worry about the expectations, because they are always going to be there. We don't have to worry about who we are playing and what is happening elsewhere, because it is time now for us to just be secluded and focus on what we want to do as a team,” Rohit said at ICC's 'Captains' Day' in Ahmedabad.
“The guys are used to going through the pressure whether it is playing in India or away. Pressure is something that is not going to leave sportsmen as long as you play the sport. It is always going to be there, so leave that aside, focus on the job at hand,” he added.
Rohit added that the team will take one game at a time to advance in the long tournament.
"It ((hosts winning the WC) has happened in the last three editions of the World Cup. It is a long tournament and you cannot get too far ahead of yourself. It is important for us to try and focus on one job at a time and move on," he said.
Rohit said the preparations ahead of the World Cup will give the players the mindset to rise above pressure.
“It is very easy to say that (forget pressure) and it is going to be tough. But we have prepared really well. As long as you have prepared really well, it gives you a lot of confidence going into the main games,” Rohit said.
India will start their World Cup campaign against five-time champions Australia at Chennai on October 8.
The Mumbaikar emphasised on the right execution of skills against them.
“We start in Chennai on the 8th and we do understand the importance of every game that we play in this tournament. So, you have got to be on top of your game,” he said.
(With PTI inputs)