Ready to bat anywhere, will leave it to team management: Rohit Sharma on Australia tour

He has enjoyed and revelled in his new role as a Test opener but Rohit Sharma is rey to be flexible about his batting position in erly-anticipated Test series against Australia as per demands of team manment.

senior batsman is expected to play a big role alongside Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara when skipper Virat Kohli returns to India after opening Test for birth of his first child.

"I will tell you same thing that I have told everyone all this while. I will be happy to bat wherever team wants me to but I don't kw if y would change my role as an opener," Rohit told PTI in an exclusive interview.

He believes that team manment will have figured out his role in batting order by time he would reach Australia after completing strength and conditioning work at an National Cricket Acemy in Bengaluru. He h picked up a mir hamstring injury during IPL.

"I am sure guys alrey in Australia must have figured out what are options when Virat leaves and who are guys who will open innings," Rohit said.

"Once I reach re, I will probably have a clearer idea of what's going to happen. I will be okay to bat wherever y want," ded dashing batsman, who has a 46-plus aver in 32 Tests.

One of finest players of hook and pull shots, Mumbaikar believes that bounce on Australian tracks is sometimes, t as big a factor as it is me out to be.

"We talk about bounce but except for Perth, over past few years, or grounds (elaide, MCG, SCG), I don't think have that much bounce.

"ways, especially while opening batting, I will have to think about t playing cut or pull shots and focus on playing in 'V' and as straight as possible," he said.

He spoke about how a Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins or Mitchell Starc would keep it full with new kookaburra.

"With new ball, whoever bowls, wher it's Starc, Cummins or Hazlewood, y will obviously pitch it up, swing ball and bouncer would be used sparingly.

"y would try to ensure with new ball that y would get some movement off air or off pitch. With new ball, everybody in world loves to bowl up and send down one odd bouncer here and re.

"So majority of deliveries will be up and towards bat and t short," he explained.

He n cited example of how Nathan Lyon was Australia's best bowler (8 wickets) in Perth Test that home team won in 2018 series.

"We talk about bounce on Australian tracks. But tell me how many people got out on bouncers during last series? "When we played in Perth in 2018-19, it was Nathan Lyon, who got eight wickets including a five-for. In Australia, half job is done if you can start well upfront." For someone, who started on a brilliant te with twin hundreds as an opener, followed by a double hundred in a three-Test series against South Africa, tritional format comes with its own set of challenges.

"It's going to be challenging. In general, international cricket is never easy, whichever format it is. When you h such a long lay off (from international cricket), it becomes all more difficult.

"So, I would be focusing on basics of red ball cricket and n you can top up with or things. That's how I would like to take it forward. You can't just jump gun and think too far ahe," Rohit said.

Rohit said strong basics is key to success in Test cricket.

"Once you have your basics strong, you can work around that and build your own technique. Mentally, that's how you prepare," he said.

In his 13 years in international cricket, he has dealt with ups and downs and one lesson that has stayed with him is to trust process.

"Mentally, I am prepared and I have h eugh setbacks in my career where I have h long lay-offs due to injury and due to form. I kw how to come back and bounce back from that.

"For me, being out for three, six or one month, really doesn't matter. What matters to me is process," he signed off. 

Im credits: AP