Rohit Sharma on Pant’s impact, Bumrah-Arshdeep strategy, and India’s World Cup triumph

Rohit Sharma praised Rishabh Pant’s fearless knock, spoke on Bumrah-Arshdeep’s strategy, and recalled India’s tense World Cup moments. He highlighted Australia’s World Cup legacy and revealed how India approached crucial matches, including the high-voltage clash against Pakistan.

Hyderabad: Former India captain Rohit Sharma said they just wanted Rishabh (Pant) to be Rishab -do all the things he does best, unsettle the bowlers and play freely.

In a free-wheeling chat ‘Champions Waali Feeling Phir Se’ on JioStar, Rohit said that Rishab did exactly that.

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“And he did that perfectly. His innings was around 42, and on that pitch, that’s as good as scoring 70. It was a very challenging surface — something was always happening. The par score there was probably 130 or 140. We ended up with 119. Our plan wasn’t to go for 200 — we were aiming for 140. But of course, we lost wickets along the way,” Rohit said.

“And that’s when Rishabh played that crucial knock of 40-plus, which really held things together. Eventually, we got 119 — and I actually felt it could still be a good score. Maybe 10–15 runs short, but I knew that if we got 2–3 early wickets with the new ball, that 119 would start to feel like 160,” he said.

On Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh’s bowling, Rohit said that with Bumrah, you’ve got to be proactive in how you use him. “He’s a wicket-taker, and at the same time, he’s not going to leak runs. So, how do you balance that, especially when the opposition is chasing at a run-a-ball? Arshdeep has been phenomenal too,” he said.

“Over the last two years, there’s a reason he’s become India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is — he’s a really smart bowler. So, with both of them, my focus was on how to use their remaining overs strategically. You think about which batters are coming in, how would they handle Arshdeep and Bumrah? On that pitch, it was tough for new batters to settle, so our goal was to force new guys to the crease. That was the plan,” Rohit said.

Reflecting on India’s T20 World Cup winning campaign, Rohit said that before the India vs Pakistan match, they were told there was a threat — something was going on.

“ So, two days before the game, we weren’t allowed to step out of the hotel. The atmosphere started building from there. We were ordering food in, and the hotel was so packed you could barely walk. Fans, media — everyone was there. That’s when you realise this isn’t just another match — something special is about to happen,” he said.

“As soon as we got near the stadium, it already felt like a celebration — Indian fans, Pakistani fans, all dancing and enjoying themselves. I’ve played so many India–Pakistan games now — I’ve lost count — but that pre-match energy, that feeling… It’s always something else. Nothing compares to it,” Rohit said.

On the Super 8s clash with Australia and the atmosphere in the dressing room:, Rohit said they knew that if they won that match, Australia would be out.

“That was a decent motivation for all of us. But cricket is not played thinking about what happened last time. Yes, you want to do well against them. But it is never going to be about the past. That thing is in the back of the mind — they ruined our 19th November. Not just ours, but the whole country’s,” he said.

“So, we should give them a good gift as well. Yes, in the dressing room all this keeps happening among us — between the boys. But when the toss happens, the game starts — then it is all about how you can do your best. When I am batting, I don’t think — let’s knock them out. It doesn’t work like that. I have to focus on how I can play well against them. That was the only thought in my mind — how can I bat well and contribute,” Rohit explained.

On his plans against a defensive Mitchell Starc in that match, Rohit said his plan was to attack everyone. “I’ve played against Mitchell Starc for so many years, so I had my own plans. Australians are very smart. I felt Starc wasn’t trying to get me out. When a bowler starts bowling wide and keeping the ball away, he’s just looking to survive, to finish his over,” he said.

“For me, half the battle is won there. That knock was very special to me. Yes, hundreds are great, but some of the 60s or 70s, considering the match context and occasion, are bigger. It’s the World Cup — it means a lot. So yes, I’d put that innings right up there,” Rohit said.

On knocking Australia out and their legacy in ICC events, Rohit said that Australia knew how to win World Cups. Come the knockouts (and) finals, they really amp up their game. They know exactly what is needed — how to come together — because they’ve played so many finals. You have to give them credit. “No team wins so many World Cups without having something special. I’m not just talking about players of the past — even the current players have that DNA. What the West Indies did in 1975–79, that era is long gone. But Australia? They’re still like that. It’s a legacy that’s been passed down from generation to generation,” he said.