India vs Sri Lanka, 1st ODI: Introducing India captain Rohit Sharma

On his captaincy debut, Rohit Sharma would hope he can replicate his success leading Mumbai Indians in the IPL. (Source: AP File)

Rohit Sharma is not in a hurry. He prefers to wait. Wait for the noise to subside and the posse of journalists at the packed hall to settle in their seats. When the house is in order, he begins to field questions, delivering them with the same flourish as he would with a willow.

The 30-year-old has addressed numerous press conferences in the past, but Saturday was different. It was his as the Indian skipper, as incumbent Virat Kohli has taken a break from the limited-overs leg. Hence, every question was well articulated and thought out.

Sample this: When asked about Jasprit Bumrah’s selection to South Africa’s Test squad, Rohit effusively praised his Mumbai Indians team-mate, terming him as one of the most improved fast bowlers in recent times. “Over the last year or so, he has improved himself, on bowling and fitness. It is a lesson for many cricketers that if you put in the hard yards, you will be rewarded. He has played with me for Mumbai Indians and I have only seen him grow (with) every game. (In) every series he has played, he has come up with new strategies and manages to execute them. It is good to see he has matured as a bowler,” he elaborates.

There is a refreshing clarity in his words. He delves into the specifics and does not leave any room for ambiguity. That clarity perhaps emanates from the sublime batting form he is in, which also puts him in a good frame of mind. Since his return to the fold after the nine-month layoff due to a thigh injury, he has prospered in ODIs, emerging as the second highest run-getter in this format, a close second to the irrepressible Virat Kohli. Since the ICC Champions Trophy in June, he has featured in 18 ODIs, scoring 1076 runs with five centuries. He couldn’t nail a Test spot, but cashed in on the breaks in Nagpur and Delhi, with a hundred and a brace of half-centuries.

He understands the reason he was overlooked, too. “Over the last two years, the combinations have allowed the captain to play with five bowlers and five batsmen. So, when I got the opportunity at Nagpur, I was ready for it. It was not as if I was putting pressure on myself… I just wanted to enjoy myself,” he candidly explains.

Steel beneath style
Though it’s his insouciant stroke-play that catches your eyes, he has shown several times that he has an astute mind and an abundance of leadership skills, especially in the way he forged Mumbai Indians into a title-winning machine. His Mumbai Indians team-mates swear by his leadership abilities — winning three IPL titles underlines this inherent trait.

Despite such lofty achievements, it’s a tad unfair that Rohit’s credentials as a leader is often under-rated. “IPL is a completely different ball game when compared with international cricket. The pressure and mindset of players also differ. I’m not going to change a lot. The basics of captaincy will be the same and I will look to stay in the present,” he explains on a philosophical vein. He has waited patiently for his chance, and this series will offer further insights into his leadership skills at the international level.

This series will also give ample room to some of the youngsters like Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer to come good, and cement their spots in the crowded middle-order. “Guys like Shreyas, Manish and Kedar have not got enough games on a trot. If they want to prove themselves, they must have a number of games under their belt. There is intense competition and it’s up to them to perform when they are given that opportunity. My job as a captain would be to ensure that they enjoy themselves and perform without any burden,” he adds.

Incidentally, the HPCA Stadium is no stranger to new captains. The last time India played here, against Australia in a Test match, Ajinkya Rahane captained India to a remarkable series win. The backdrop of their captaincy debuts might be entirely different, but he would hope that he leaves the scenic hill station as contended as Rahane.

Like Rohit, Thisara Perera, too, will make his captaincy debut, though the background couldn’t have been more contrasting. He has taken over the reins from Upul Tharanaga, who has an unenviable record of 22 defeats in 26 games. He’s the seventh different skipper for Sri Lanka across all formats in one year. The pressure on him will be immense.

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Sundar replaces injured Jadhav
Tamil Nadu all-rounder Washington Sundar has replaced middle-order batsman Kedar Jadhav, who has been ruled out of the series due to a hamstring niggle. “Jadhav suffered a left hamstring injury during training on Friday and will undergo scans. The BCCI Medical Team will continue to monitor him,” a BCCI release stated. However, it could be Shreyas Iyer who might replace Jadhav, in which case it would be his ODI debut. Shikhar Dhawan too was battling viral fever, though Rohit informed the doctors will assess his fitness on Sunday morning before taking a call.

Mathews fit to bowl
Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka’s experienced batting all-rounder is finally fit to bowl in this series. The 30-year-old’s availability gives the visitors the much needed flexibility in their batting order. “He is bowling in this series as he is fit and well prepared now. Angelo’s bowling gives us the balance in the side,” said Perera.