Preparations, work ethics won't stop even if I'm not playing: Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma is always known for his lazy elegance and sheer power as his cover drives and on-drives looks as easy as any. He was brought into the side in the third Test match as a replacement of Cheteshwar Pujara, considering his attacking capabilities.

Despite falling cheaply in the first innings, he made the most of the second opportunity as he smashed three sixes as Indian were on the urge of piling up runs. When asked about him not featuring for the first two Test matches and about his preparations once he is not making it into the XI, he said that the time helped him to work on my fitness and skills.

“I prepare as if I am playing. On game day when the team is announced and I know that if I am not playing, then my preparations, work ethics and everything that you do to improve as a cricketer does not stop,” he said. “I try and stay positive and look to enjoy the moment as these moments are never going to come back. I cherish each and every day I spend with the team whether it is on and off the field.”

Speaking about his role in the team, he said that it is all based on the team requirement. “I think when it comes to that it is important to know what the captain and the coach feel about it. My role is simple. Whenever I am told to play in a certain way, I am trying to play in a certain way,” he said.

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“It is up to the management and I have to be ready for that. I have done that in ODIs and won’t shy away from doing that (in Test matches). Whatever position my captain and coach decide, I am up for it,” the 29-year old added.

Rohit is one of the better players in the limited-overs format, but his capabilities in the longest format of the game had faced a lot of criticism. “As long as you’re playing this game, scrutiny is never going to stop and I won’t let these things affect me. I have been in the situation before too. It does not bother me. What I should be concentrating on is the current situation. I have to live in the present.”

Our immediate goal is to be the No.1 Test side: Rohit Sharma:

The ODI opener also cherished his career so far, saying, “Before making my ODI debut, I never thought I would be playing for so many years. I should be happy that I’ve come till here. I am really happy for what God has given me so far. There is plenty in store for me, I just need to be patient and not get frustrated.”

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Rohit revealed that India’s primary goal is to be the No.1 Test side in the world. “Our immediate goal is to be the No.1 Test side in the world and we’re not too far away from that. When MS Dhoni retired, we knew that Virat Kohli was going to be the next captain. The message was clear from him that we needed to play in a way where we look for results and not draws. There is a way to do that and the guys are sticking to it,” he signed-off.