Captain Rohit says IPL team has gelled well so far and is ready for first match against CSK
The view from a rooftop banquet of a city hotel, where Mumbai Indian captain Rohit Sharma along with coach Mahela Jayawardene is holding their press conference ahead of the Indian Premier League 11, gives almost a bird's eye view of a large part of city.
From here one can see most of south Mumbai, including the picturesque Marine Drive and the iconic Brabourne Stadium along with the Mumbai port. One would feel like being on top of the world.
Rohit, too, must be feeling the same — on top of the world, given the way he has led Mumbai Indians ever since he took over the reins from Ricky Ponting in 2013. Under his captaincy Mumbai has achieved greater heights having clinched three IPL titles (2013, 2015, 2017) and one Champions League T20 crown (2013).
But with all the accolades, also comes the pressure, especially while getting into a new season as defending champions in the high-pressure franchisee-based tournament.
Rohit agrees that pressure is involved in leading a highly successful side.
"Pressure is always there when you take the field, whether it is IPL or you are playing for your national team. For me as an individual what is important is an opportunity to play cricket, whether I am playing for my club or playing for my national team. I have to perform," Rohit said.
"So pressure of performance is always going to be there and how you deal with it is important. As an individual I would not think of it as pressure, it is a responsibility that lies on you because at the end of the day you want to go out there and play cricket," he added.
Even as Mumbai take on Chennai Super Kings in the opener on Saturday, the start to the league holds the key for the hosts.
"The key is just you need to get the players around. Get to know everyone of them. That is the challenge of the IPL, because all the players come from different states...countries. So far, we stand in a good position and the team is ready to take on the first game and have prepared well."
Mumbai has picked up quite a few local and domestic talents such as Suryakumar Yadav, Saurabh Tiwary, Siddhesh Lad etc, with all them being in good touch. Rohit said this is a good headache to have.
"Lot of domestic players are in good form, the challenge for any IPL captain is to get those domestic players in the squad and make use of them. We have a little bit of headache that we have to go through to get the right combinations but we have to look at all these guys, especially Siddhesh Lad, who has been with us for more than three years."
Asked how the suspensions of Steve Smith (Rajasthan Royals) and David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad), involved in ball-tampering in Australia-South Africa Tests, will have an impact on MI, Rohit said: "MI has always been a good team, regardless of the players that play in the tournament or not. What happens outside MI does not affect us. We focus on what we have to do as a team we have done that in the last 10 years and that's probably is the reason that we have some success in this tournament."
Rohit, however, did not reveal if he would open the innings, considering MI now have a strong middle-order. "I would like to keep that as a surprise, our middle order is very good we have got good openers Elvin Lewis and Ishan Kishan we will see on the 7th. Where I bat I would like to keep that as a surprise."
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