Rohit Sharma praises team effort

Mumbai: Opener Rohit Sharma on Monday attributed Team India’s marauding run in ODIs to a combined effort as Virat Kohli & Co. march towards their mission 2019 World Cup.

“It’s still one-and-a-half year away, so it’s too early to comment. But yes, it is our goal and we have already started preparations. Selectors, coach and captain have been talking about team combinations, keeping the big event in mind,” Sharma said.

India, two-time World champions, went down to Australia in the semi-final of the 2015 edition. Rohit said India’s recent success was not a result of a few members effort. “The contributing is coming from different people and everyone is standing up. We are playing together as a unit. The thought process is also going in one direction as we move towards the goal, which is good for the team,” added Rohit who scored 296 runs in five ODIs with two half centuries and a century in the five-match ODI series against Australia.

The vice-captain, however, said their current focus was to beat New Zealand in the upcoming three-match ODI series. “We will assemble again in the hotel now and preparation and strategy will start for the New Zealand series. Our goal is simple; which to do well and beat them,” he said.

Rohit said he never had big ambitions as a kid. “All I did was playing cricket and enjoying it. I was as disappointed as the rest of India when we lost to Sri Lanka in the semi-final of the 1996 World Cup,” he said.