India captain Rohit Sharma is not only leading the 15-member squad in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023 but also the aspirations of billions of countrymen to lift the third title. The opening batter has been coping with dual pressure - one from outside and the second from within the group - to live up to the expectations.
Ahead of the clash against England, Rohit opened up on his challenges as leader of Men in Blue and how he handles things in the team. In five matches of the tournament, India have remained undefeated and sit at the top spot in the points table with 10 points.
Rohit expressed that he thinks with the mindset of each individual to understand their needs and act accordingly.
“I think when it comes to managing players, it’s quite important that you understand the individual first and their requirement, what are the likes and dislikes of that particular individual because you know in a team sport it’s just not about one or two individuals or few individuals, it’s about everyone. We do understand as well that when you want to win championships, big tournaments, everyone need to come to the party and play their part.
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Rohit further added that keeping everyone in 'good mental space' in a high-intensity tournament like the World Cup is also one of the responsibilities of the captain.
"So, it’s important that you keep everyone in good mental space. So, it’s very important to hear everyone out, understand what they want, how they want to operate and things like that and then you take everything into consideration and move forward and that is something that I always do. I try and put myself in their shoes and think about what this individual will be needing now. So, it’s important to think like that and you know luckily, I have got good bunch of guys around me; the players, the support staffs are quite understanding in terms of the requirement of the team, the players and everyone," he said.
The 36-year-old said he has learned from his career experiences to give freedom to players to bring the best out of them.
"So, yeah that is something that I wouldn’t say comes naturally to me, I've learned it over the years, gone through my personal experiences and understood what is needed for a team to be successful. I think what is needed to be successful is to understand everyone's need, their requirement and give them that space and freedom to go and execute their job and their roles," Rohit said.
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"Because it can be quite daunting at times because when you are playing such a high-profile tournament, the pressure can get to you at times. So, it's important to just stay together as a team, understand what each one needs to be in that good zone where they can come out and play free cricket and not worry about what is happening outside," he added.
India will take on defending champions England at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Sunday, October 29.
