Team India’s newly appointed T20I captain Rohit Sharma heaped praise on veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin after their 3-0 series win over New Zealand. Ashwin made a comeback for India’s limited overs last month t20 world cup After a gap of more than four years. The off-spinner made an instant impact with the ball on his return to T20 WC matches. He continued his stellar form in New Zealand and was instrumental in setting up wins in the first two T20Is.
Posted by Ashwin India As for the significant successes against New Zealand, Rohit said that he is an attacking option for any captain in the middle overs.
“He is always an aggressive option for a captain. When you have someone like him in your team, it always gives you the opportunity to take wickets in the middle and we understand how important that phase is,” Rohit said at the post-match press conference in India’s seven-wicket haul over New Zealand. After the win in the last T20 at the Eden Gardens on Sunday night.
Rohit lauded Ashwin’s return to white-ball cricket and talked about the quality he had.
“It’s been a great comeback since I played in Dubai and so far. He’s a great bowler, that’s what we all know,” he said.
“Over the years he has proved himself with the red ball and even in the white ball his record is not bad. The way he came back and bowled in Dubai and then played two matches here. It shows the quality that he has,” he said.
Ashwin made a comeback with clean figures of 4-0-23-2 and 4-0-19-1 in Jaipur and Ranchi.
Rohit also lauded Ashwin’s spin partner Axar Patel for putting pressure on the opposition batsmen in the middle overs by putting brakes on the scoring rate.
“You know, that’s where (in the middle overs) you need to put the brakes on the run rate, the scoring rate and try to pick up wickets, so I think Ashwin provides us with the letter in the middle .
“These two guys are middle wicket takers and the goal is never about surviving, it’s always about ‘how do I get the batsman out or how do I put pressure on the batsman’.
“That’s what he brings all the time. So it’s always a good option for a captain to have a player like him in the middle, who can bowl the crucial overs and try to put pressure on the opposition by taking wickets.”
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Asked what the new government led by Rahul Dravid and himself did to turn things around after the T20 World Cup loss, Rohit said: “We are trying to create a healthy atmosphere in the team, players Trying to provide security so they can go out and play fearlessly.
“The first meeting we had, we spoke very clearly to all the players about this that if you are trying to do something for the team, it will never go unnoticed.
“It will always be recognized when you are trying to put your hand up and take the pressure off yourself and do something for the team. It is the job of the captain and coach to tell the players that we understand that you are for the team. What are you trying to do, you go and take your chance.
“With the talent we have in India, it is not easy, you have to look at a lot of options. You try to fit everyone into the team but can only play 11 so it’s not easy.
“It’s always going to be tough but we’ll do our best to make sure that whenever the players leave they don’t have any luggage with them,” he said.
Opting to bat, Rohit scored 56 off 31 balls while Ishan Kishan made 29 off 21 balls as India posted 184/7 in the final game of the series.
In reply, New Zealand were bundled out for 111 after excellent efforts from the bowlers and fielders.
“The bowling was our biggest plus in the series. We really came back in the first two games after an explosive start by New Zealand. It is really commendable to restrict New Zealand’s strong batting lineup to 160 points.”
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He also insisted on saving those extra runs on the field.
“We did well in all three matches. Whenever I go on the field I always think how many runs we have saved and in all three matches we have saved about 15 runs and today there were two run outs.
(with PTI inputs)
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