Rohit Sharma has revealed that his decision to sit out of the Sydney Test during the border-Gavaskar series in January this year was his “argument” with Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Aggarkar.
Rohit told former Australian Captain Cricket Podcast to former Australian captain Michael Clarke, “I spoke to the coach and the selector, and they agreed, did not agree, … there was an argument around it.” The newspaper then told how Rohit was not demolished, but he had decided to get out on his own.
He said, “I had to be honest with myself. I was not hitting the ball well. I did not want to keep myself myself because we had dropped other people who were struggling,” he said.
“We somehow (Shubman) wanted to play Gill, he is such a good player. He missed in the last Test match. I am liking … Okay, if I am not hitting the ball well, it is now. Things can change after five days, ten days later,” Rohit said. The Indian captain, who missed the first test due to paternity leave, failed subsequent trials in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Rohit explained his argument to sit out of the Sydney Test. Rohit said, “You try and put the team first, you just see what the team wants, and decides accordingly. Sometimes it will work, sometimes it will not happen. It can not happen. How it happens. Every decision that you try and make, you don’t guarantee success,” Rohit said.
After batting in the middle order to accommodate KL Rahul as a opener in the previous games, Rohit also opened his decision to open the penaltimet test in Melbourne.
“” I did not have a great game (in Adelaide). Then I went back to the room, and I was so, I should have been opened, man. I will fail to do what I do and where I do. This is my place, this is my situation. I will rather go there and bat, whether I get success or not, it is a different story. But I am in my natural position for the team, ”he told Clarke.
The story continues below this advertisement
“And I said, no. It’s just a game. Let’s not move forward, let’s give it another game. It’s 1-1. We can change and change things in Brisbane. And then, it was a draw. It was a draw. When we came back to Melbourne, we changed our mind. I went back to open the innings.”
He shared his captaincy philosophy of keeping the team first. “Since I started captaining the national team, I only realized that not only I but the rest of the people need to think and keep the team alike, what is necessary for the team, and my runs, my score and my hundred, don’t worry about my five wickets. Because it is important, you are playing the team, if you don’t get 100 and don’t cross the finishing line?”
