Rohit Sharma "Happy to Bat" at Any Position in the Longer Format
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|| India Correspondent ||
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Rohit Sharma has tested a fair share of success in Test cricket as an opener and he has been enjoying the role as well. Currently, he is preparing for the upcoming Test series against Australia as well and he is likely to play a key role alongside Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara in the absence of regular captain Virat Kohli as he will return to India after the opening Test.
"I will tell you the same thing that I have told everyone all this while. I will be happy to bat wherever the team wants me to but I don't know if they would change my role as an opener," Rohit told PTI in an exclusive interview.
Meanwhile, he believes that the team management has decided what his role is going to be in the batting order by the time he would reach Australia after finishing the strength and conditioning work at a National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, as he had sustained a hamstring injury during the IPL 2020.
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"I am sure the guys already in Australia must have figured out what are options when Virat leaves and who are the guys who will open the innings," Rohit said."Once I reach there, I will probably have a clearer idea of what's going to happen. I will be okay to bat wherever they want."
As the series will be played in Australia, bounce can certainly be expected from the pitches there and Rohit thinks that except for Perth, other grounds like Adelaide, MCG, SCG wouldn’t have that much bounce. He also opened up his batting as well as he is going to face Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc in the series and they would pitch it up, swing the ball and the bouncer will be used too.
"Nowadays, especially while opening the batting, I will have to think about not playing the cut or pull shots and focus on playing in the 'V' and as straight as possible. They would try to ensure with the new ball that they would get some movement off the air or off the pitch. With the new ball, everybody in the world loves to bowl up and send down one odd bouncer here and there. So majority of the deliveries will be up and towards the bat and not short," he explained.
The series will begin from November 27.
