Rohit Sharma "Cripples During Captaincy": Pakistan Pace Great, Drops 'MS Dhoni' Hint To Drill Home The Point

19.08.2023 - 06:29 sports.ndtv.com

Rohit Sharma faces an acid test as Indian cricket team gets on with their final rounds of preparation for the ODI World Cup 2023 at home.

When Rohit Sharma was handed the captaincy, after Virat Kohli failed to win a single ICC title as skipper, there was much expectation.

However, he could not led the team to success at the 2022 T20 World Cup and the World Test Championship final. In that scenario,, the marquee event at home gain extra significance.

The last time India hosted the ODI World Cup 2023, they won it under MS Dhoni. Since then, India have not been able to win any World Cups, irrespective of the format.

cricket India Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Team Mumbai Indians World Cup 2023 Rohit Sharma Shoaib Akhtar India Pakistan

Young Indian batter Shubman Gill feels his and skipper Rohit Sharma's contrasting batting styles make their opening partnerships successful. With India set to take part in the Asia Cup and the World Cup, the partnership between the two openers is likely to play a vital role in the Men in Blues' success in the two tournaments. In just nine innings, Gill and Rohit have amassed 685 runs while batting together in ODIs at an average of 76.11.

Asia Cup 2023: Doors Shut For Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal To Make India ODI Return? Rohit Sharma's Big Reply

The Indian cricket team squad for Asia Cup 2023 was announced on Monday and a big exclusion was veteran spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. Instead, the selectors went for the left-arm trio of Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. During the press conference following the team selection meeting, skipper Rohit Sharma and BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar opened up about the reasons behind the team selection and what it can mean for the future when it comes to the ones who were not picked. "Axar Patel has done really well. He can bat too. Kuldeep Yadav has had a fantastic run to this point. So someone had to miss out. Kuldeep is currently a little ahead of him (Chahal), said Agarkar in the conference.

Watch: "Pagalpanti Nahi" - Rohit Sharma Pulls Batting Order Query Out Of The Park

The Indian cricket team squad for Asia Cup 2023 was announced on Monday and during the press conference following the reveal, skipper Rohit Sharma faced a lot of questions regarding the possible team combinations and how the batting order can look against Pakistan in the first match of the competition. However, the veteran batter was completely unfazed by the queries and he came up with a straight yet hilarious answer. He explained that most slots in the batting order are already decided with No. 4 and 5 being the slots where some flexibility is possible. He further explained that youngsters will be shuffled in different positions and joked that the team will not indulge in 'madness' like "sending a opener to bat at No 8".

Rohit Sharma To Attend BCCI's Meeting In Delhi To Select Asia Cup Squad: Report

The men's senior selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), led by Ajit Agarkar, will meet in New Delhi on Monday to discuss the Asia Cup squad. Indian captain Rohit Sharma will also attend the meeting. India's team has yet to announce their squad for Asia Cup and World Cup amid concerns over the injury of their key players, while nations like Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh have already named their Asia Cup squads. England and Australia have also announced the provisional squad for the World Cup 2023.

"Kaunsi Nayi Gadi Khareedi?...": Rohit Sharma's Old Video With Babar Azam By His Side Resurfaces

The Asia Cup Cup 2023 will once again pit Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team against Pakistan cricket team. The two teams share a great cricket rivalry but no only face each other in ICC events. They last faced each other at the 2022 T20 World Cup. This year, however, India and Pakistan will face each other multiple times with the Asia Cup and World Cup approaching. Whenever the two teams clash, the former player say that it's a matter of prestige for both teams' cricket fans.

Shoaib Akhtar Questions Rohit Sharma's Captaincy With Blunt 'MS Dhoni Remark'

The closer the ODI World Cup 2023 gets, the more the faster the heartbeats of Indian cricket fans will get. Having not tasted success in ICC events since the 2013 Champions Trophy, the pressure is on Rohit Sharma's men to deliver, especially since the World Cup is being held on home soil. However, considering the manner in which India's recent assignments have gone, there are some who doubt the team's ability to go the distance in the marquee event. Former Pakistan Shoaib Akhtar is one of them, especially as he isn't fully convinced of Rohit, the skipper.