India’s Dominant Victory Over England
Rohit Sharma on Team India’s Approach: Freedom to Play Their Own Way. India showcased their aggressive and fearless brand of cricket as they clinched a comprehensive 3-0 victory in the ODI series against England. The Indian team, led by skipper Rohit Sharma, dominated the series, capping it off with a resounding 142-run win in the final match. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rohit emphasized that players in the squad can express themselves and adapt their playing styles.
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Freedom to Play Aggressively
Rohit Sharma highlighted that India’s attacking approach in recent times, particularly in the 2023 World Cup, was a testament to the team’s philosophy of allowing players to play their natural game. He stressed that while failures are inevitable, the key is to back the players and maintain a consistent approach.
“There is a bit of freedom in the squad to go out there and play the way you want. The World Cup (2023) was a perfect example of that. We want to continue to do that. There will be times when things don’t go as planned, but that’s okay,” Rohit said.
Collective Team Performance
Rohit expressed his satisfaction with the team’s collective performance, stating that every player stepped up when required. The ability to handle challenges and deliver under pressure was one of the most pleasing aspects of the series win.
“Very, very pleasing (with the way the series went). We knew there would be challenges that we could face,” he added.
Preparations for the Champions Trophy
With the Champions Trophy set to begin on February 19, Rohit stated that the team is focused on further refining their strategies. While he refrained from revealing specific plans, he assured that the team management is working on maintaining consistency and clarity in communication.
“Obviously, there are certain things we are looking at and I am not going to stand here and explain those. It is our job as well to keep some consistency within the squad and the communication is clear. A champion team always strives to improve with every game and move forward.”
Shubman Gill Shines as Player of the Series
Young opener Shubman Gill was awarded the Player of the Match and the Player of the Series for his exceptional performances. Gill acknowledged that his century in the final match was among his better innings, particularly given the testing conditions at the start.
“I was feeling good. I think this was one of my better knocks. The pitch was a bit tricky at the start, so it was satisfying. There was some movement for the fast bowlers, and our plan was to rotate the strike and not lose wickets in the Power Play. We built momentum from there,” he explained.
Shreyas Iyer on Carrying Momentum to Champions Trophy
Middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer emphasized the importance of carrying the momentum from this series victory into the Champions Trophy. He praised the team’s energy and collective effort throughout the series.
“The dressing room is electrifying, full of energy. Everyone is in great form, and we are taking this momentum into the Champions Trophy,” he said.
Iyer also reflected on his performances, having registered two half-centuries in the series, including a well-compiled 78 in the final match. However, he admitted that he wished he could have converted one of them into a century.
“I wish I could have got a hundred. In the first game, I wanted to take the momentum for our team. I played every ball on its merit. In the second game, I backed my instincts but got run out. Today, I got a good platform from Shubman and Rohit to build my innings,” he added.
Jos Buttler: England was outplayed
England skipper Jos Buttler acknowledged that his team was completely outplayed by India in all three matches. He admitted that while England’s approach was correct, they failed to execute their plans effectively.
“We were outplayed by a fantastic team. Our approach was the right one, but we didn’t execute well. India put a great score on the board, and Shubman played a brilliant innings,” Buttler conceded.
England’s struggles with batting consistency continued, with Buttler emphasizing the need for his team to find ways to bat for longer periods and build substantial partnerships.
“We got off to a great start again, but the same story repeated itself. We need to find a way to bat longer. We were up against a really good side that keeps challenging us,” he said.
Looking Ahead to the Champions Trophy
With the Champions Trophy around the corner, both India and England will be looking to fine-tune their squads. India’s dominant performance in the ODI series will undoubtedly give them confidence going into the tournament, while England will have to reassess their strategies and make improvements to compete at the highest level.
As Rohit Sharma and his team continue to embrace an aggressive and fearless brand of cricket, they remain focused on their ultimate goal – winning the Champions Trophy and establishing themselves as the best team in the world.