In the midst of BCCI’s attempt to ensure that all players under central contract participate in domestic matches, Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma delivered a direct message to youngsters who do not have a strong desire for Test cricket.
Ishan Kishan’s refusal to play in Ranji Trophy matches against board orders and Shreyas Iyer’s decision to skip Mumbai’s match despite the National Cricket Academy’s declaration that he is injury-free has generated a lot of talk in recent months.
Following India’s victory over England in Ranchi, Rohit Sharma spoke bluntly when asked if younger players were hungry to play in Test cricket.
“Jin logon ko bhookh hai, hum unhi logon ko mauka denge. Agar hunger nahi hai to unko khila ke koi matlab nahi hai,” Rohit told the media after the match.
Rohit Sharma’s remarks closely followed a directive from the BCCI to players like Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer to play Ranji Trophy matches; the two players disregarded the directive.
“I can’t find a single person on this team who isn’t hungry. Every boy in the squad and even the ones who are not, wants to play. However, the challenge with Test cricket is that there aren’t many opportunities. When you don’t use them, they disappear,” Rohit said.
After the young guns contributed significantly to the hosts’ series-sealing victory over England in the fourth Test on Monday, skipper Rohit Sharma stated that the “composed” group of newcomers in the Indian side don’t require frequent instruction, they just need a supportive environment to thrive.
Pitcher-batsman Dhruv Jurel, in his second Test match, was the player of the match in both innings with the bat.
While his 72-run partnership with Shubman Gill in the second innings helped the hosts get through stressful periods in the run chase, his 90 in the first innings allowed India to get close to England’s 353 total.
Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Deep, and Yashasvi Jaiswal were a few more new faces who had a significant influence on Team India’s performance.
“It feels great to have prevailed in this series because it has been a fiercely contested one. Many hurdles were thrown at us, but we answered and remained calm. These players, who grew up playing club cricket locally and on the domestic circuit, want to be here,” Rohit asserted.
“Although it’s a significant task, the feedback I receive is positive. They are extremely clear about what they want to do, so we can’t just talk to them; we have to provide them with the setting they desire,” he added.
