“You want me and Shikhar Dhawan out of the side?” – Rohit Sharma’s hilarious response to Journo’s question about younsgters’ chances
In his very first presser as India’s full-time white-ball captain, Rohit Sharma unveiled his funny side as he gave a hilarious response when asked whether the youngsters on the team’s fringes will get the opportunity to bat in the top 3?
Rohit, speaking to the press on Saturday (February 5) ahead of the first ODI against West Indies in Ahmedabad, asked in response to the query made by the journalists would they like to see him and his longstanding partner Shikhar Dhawan out of the side?
The 34-year-old found an amusing way to assure the fans and the experts that the youngsters will definitely get their chances going forward. But not at the expense of the senior men, who have been serving the team well for a long time.
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“So you want Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad as openers and me and Shikhar Dhawan out of the side?” Rohit Sharma funnily said in response to the query. “Youngsters will definitely get their chances.”
The question came to light after India had to reshuffle their first-choice squad for the ODI series against the West Indies.
Firstly, the team lost their veteran opener Dhawan ahead of the series opener after he contracted the contagious Covid-19 virus.
In Dhawan’s absence, the selectors had initially called in Mayank Agarwal to fill his void. But Rohit confirmed in his presser that the aggressive back-up opener is also unavailable because of the necessary pre-series quarantine.
This left the think-tank with two options to choose as Rohit’s partner at the top: Maharashtra batter Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jharkhand left-hander Ishan Kishan, who was another late entry to the squad after Dhawan went down with Covid-19.
There was an air of expectation that Gaikwad maybe in for an ODI debut but once he also returned a Covid positive test, it led Rohit to confirm that Ishan will make the side as the team management keep the left and right-hand combination going despite Dhawan’s absence.
“Ishan Kishan will open the batting with me. Mayank Agarwal is still in quarantine,” Rohit Sharma confirmed to the press.
Kishan, who has been India’s designated back-up wicketkeeper-batter in limited-overs cricket, made his ODI debut in Sri Lanka last July. He started his 50-over career with a first-ball six and recorded an attacking 59 in India’s win in Colombo. Kishan has also played 5 T20Is for the country.