India captain Rohit Sharma accepted full responsibility for the Test series whitewash and also his poor show with the bat.
“It is quite tough, and tells you nothing is easy in life. One day you are on a high, one day you are not. That is something I have learnt at a young age itself and that is why I don’t getting carried away with certain things in life,” said Rohit.
“It is important to understand that life is not about just highs, there can be lows too. Having lost all three games, this is a low point in my career. I take full responsibility as captain. With the bat as well, I have not been good enough.
“I accept the fact that we were not good enough with the bat in the entire series. I feel 147 should have been chased. We didn’t apply ourselves and a lot of mistakes were made,” said Rohit, admitting that his own shot selection wasn’t up to the mark. “I accept that I didn’t bat well in this series. But it’s only in these two series [against Bangladesh and New Zealand] that I have not had enough time in the middle. I have been trying to evolve as a batter to try and see what else I can do. In that, there is a chance you can fall on the other side, which clearly I have,” revealed Rohit.
While the skipper tallied 133 in 10 innings in the home Test season, Virat Kohli scored 192 in 10 visits to the crease. Rohit admitted that the duo’s batting form was a cause for concern heading into the tough series in Australia.
“It’s a cause for concern. However, we all have to look forward and see how we can do better.
There is a good opportunity for us to do something really special in Australia… we will focus on that.”
To miss Perth Test?
Rohit informed that he may miss the Perth Test owing to personal reasons. “Right now I am not too sure if I will be going, but let’s see. Fingers crossed.”
About shelving the three-day game against India-A, the skipper said that the players wanted to be fully prepared for the bouncier conditions down under. “We want to maximise those three days, and I feel this is the best way to do it. The batters and the bowlers will have a lot of time in the middle”.