Sachin Tendulkar experienced that sense of emptiness until the triumph in 2011, and Lionel Messi had to wait until 2022 to claim his share of glory.
India captain Rohit Sharma, a colossus in white-ball cricket
Rohit Sharma, too, is undeniably a champion player, but his desire for a 50-over ICC title is palpable, as he referred to this World Cup as an “unfinished business” for him.
While Rohit has secured victory in two ICC events – the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy – cricket enthusiasts understand that the pinnacle in the sport is the 50-over World Cup.
“Yeah, I mean look, you heard the great man say that so many times that you know, until he wins the World Cup, he’s got a bit of unfinished business. I am sure you know who I’m talking about,” Rohit said on Saturday with an obvious reference to the legendary Tendulkar.
“So, it’s the same for us as well. You know, you want to win the World Cup. It’s the biggest prize that you can have in your career. But again, there’s a way to do it. There’s a procedure that you need to follow. There’s a process to it,” he said. The method in the madness, if you may!
Often desperation for the ultimate goal forces people to err on the side of risk and the Indian skipper does know the pitfalls.
“In desperation, you can do so many things that can lead to so many other things as well. So, it’s good to be desperate. It’s good to be hungry. But you’ve got to find that balance, right?
“Balance to stay desperate and stay hungry for, scoring runs, lifting the trophy, winning games, whatever that is. But there is a balance that you need to find. You cannot get way too ahead of yourself because that can lead into something that you don’t really wish for.”
The seniors in this team have played a lot of cricket to know how to soak in the pressure.
But to win that ultimate prize, even with 99 percent perspiration, the miniscule one percent of divine intervention can’t be ignored.
“And then obviously we have to leave a lot of things to the Almighty as well because we need that luck, a little bit of luck in the tournament. I hope we get that luck. But yeah, it will be nice to win a World Cup.”
’16 years have taught me how to go through moments’
Experience teaches a lot many things and most importantly, dealing with the pressures of high-stake games.
“The 16 years of cricket has taught me that, how to go through the moments and how to handle those pressures and not to let that pressure come on to the team.”
Rohit understands that handling the pressure is a unique quality and everyone would react differently.
“I am sure at certain stages of the tournament some players will go through pressure, the teams will go through pressure. But that is where we need characters.”
‘We have tough characters’
Battling adversities is a good test of inner toughness and one can see the pride on Rohit’s face when he speaks about how this team is made of tough cookies.
All 15 players in the set-up have had their share of struggles, trials and tribulations before reaching where they are now. All are battle-hardened achievers.
“We are Indian cricketers. We are supposed to go through pressure times, pressure situations. I see a lot of strong mental characters in this squad, who have come through hardships in their career.
“Nothing has been given that easy to any one of them. They’ve gone through their tough times, they’ve spent their hard times in the middle, and achieved what they’ve achieved today.”
(With PTI Inputs)
