Captain Rohit liked this idea of Ashwin on ODI World Cup, said – do not want to see the teams taking advantage
Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma has no problem in starting ODI World Cup 2023 match early. He said this before the start of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand.
Rohit Sharma on Tuesday backed Ravichandran Ashwin’s idea of an early start to reduce the effect of dew in the ODI World Cup as the Indian skipper does not want any team to get an unfair advantage in a major tournament. In the evening, when dew falls on the ground, it becomes difficult for the bowlers to grip the ball, making it easier for the team chasing the target to bat.
Ashwin had proposed to start the World Cup matches to be played in India in October-November at 11.30 am. Usually ODI matches in India start at 1:30 in the afternoon. However, the final decision on the matter is expected to be taken by the broadcasters who pay huge sums to acquire the media rights.
Rohit said before the first ODI against New Zealand on Wednesday, “It is a good idea. This is a world cup. You don’t want the toss to play much of a role. You want to remove it completely. I like the idea of early start but don’t know if it is possible. The broadcasters will decide (laughs).” “Ideally, you don’t want to see teams taking advantage of the dew. You want cricket to be played under floodlights in the presence of dew without any advantage to the batting team.”
At the same time, when asked about playing seven batsmen and four specialist bowlers, Rohit said, “To be honest, I do not want to compromise on anything.” Rohit said, “You play your best XI.” Want to Number eight and nine are going to be a challenge for us, someone who can bat down that order. That’s why we included Shardul in the team. He can benefit us at number eight.
“We will play all over India (during the World Cup) in different conditions. We need to assess everything. Can we play with three spinners? Luckily we have spinners who can bat – Akshar, Vaishi (Washington Sundar), Shahbaz and Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja). Who can give us the depth we are looking for, but the two-tier wrist spinners should not be forgotten.
Rohit praised this fast bowler before Siraj’s first ODI in his home ground. The skipper said that Siraj has improved a lot in the last two years across all formats. He is a very important player for us. He has improved his line and length a lot in the last two years. Now we are getting to see his outswing. He was not known for his swing but he did it against Sri Lanka. If he can do that consistently with the new ball, it augurs well for the team.