Rohit Sharma: Virat Kohli infused determination into Team India; to build clear communication to players

Rohit
was
named
India’s
new
ODI
skipper
last
week
and
he
takes
the
reins
from
Kohli
as
India
gear
up
for
the
South
Africa
series.

“He’s
(Kohli)
put
the
team
in
the
situation
where
there
is
no
looking
back.
Those
five
years
that
he
has
led
the
team
led
from
the
front
every
time
we
stepped
onto
the
park.

‘And
yeah!
there
was
a
clear
grit
and
determination
to
win
every
game,
and
that
was
the
message
to
the
entire
squad,”
Rohit
said
in
an
interview
posted
on
the
BCCI
website.

‘We
had
a
great
time
playing
under
him
obviously
we
played
and
I
played
a
lot
of
cricket
under
him
and
enjoyed
every
moment
and
I
will
still
continue
to
do
that,”
he
added.

Rohit
said
Team
India
will
be
looking
forward
to
improving
as
a
side
going
forward.

“We
need
to
keep
getting
better
as
a
team
and
keep
getting
better
as
an
individual
that
will
be
the
focus
of
not
just
me
but
the
entire
squad
moving
forward.

‘That
is
what
we
will
be
looking
forward
to
do
is
getting
better
and
make
sure
how
we
can
get
better
as
a
team,”
said
Rohit.
Rohit
Sharma,
who
has
captained
India
32
times
to
date,
said
he
was
“deeply
honoured”
to
lead
the
side.

“I’m
deeply
honoured
and
grateful
for
the
opportunity.
It’s
a
huge
responsibility.
I’m
absolutely
happy
about
it.
I
look
forward
to
leading
team
India
in
white
ball
cricket.

‘It’s
going
to
be
an
exciting
journey,
something
that
I’m
looking
forward
to,”
said
Rohit.

“Whenever
I’ve
gotten
an
opportunity
I’ve
tried
to
keep
it
very
simple,
tried
to
keep
one
thing
in
common
which
is
clear
communication
to
the
players,
making
sure
that
they
understand
their
role,”
he
added.

The
Indian
limited-overs
skipper
will
make
sure
there
is
“clear
communication”
between
the
players.

“For
us,
the
coach-captain,
it’s
important
to
make
sure
that
we
have
clear
communication
and
clear
understanding
of
a
player’s
role,”
said
Rohit.

“That
is
something
that
I
will
be
looking
forward
to
doing,
making
sure
that
people
do
understand
what
they’ve
been
picked
for
in
the
team,
what
they
have
to
do
as
an
individual,”
he
signed
off.

‘When
you
are
playing
cricket
for
India,
the
pressure
is
always
going
to
be
high.
The
pressure
is
always
going
to
be
there.

‘There
will
be
a
lot
of
people
talking
about
it;
be
it
positively
or
negatively.
For
me,
personally,
as
a
cricketer,
it
is
important
to
focus
on
my
job
and
not
to
focus
on
what
people
are
talking
about
because
you
can’t
control
that.
I
have
said
it
a
million
times
and
I
will
keep
repeating
it.’

Rohit
said
he
realised
that
being
the
India
skipper
is
a
big
task
and
he
is
mentally
prepared
for
it.

‘This
is
also
the
same
message
to
the
team
and
the
team
understand
that
when
we
are
playing
a
high-profile
tournament,
there
will
be
a
lot
of
talks.

‘It’s
just
important
for
us
to
focus
on
what
we
have
in
hand;
which
is
to
go
and
win
games
and
play
the
way
you
are
known
for.

‘So,
those
talks
outside
are
immaterial.
What
we
think
of
each
other
is
more
important.
You
want
to
share
a
strong
bond
between
players
and
that
is
what
will
help
us
achieve
the
goal
we
want
to.”