‘I have had my share of ups and downs’

Dubai: Rohit Sharma may be only 26 now, but feels he is certainly “older and wiser”. The supremely talented Indian middle-order batsman, who has been often accused of flattering to deceive since his debut more than six years back, wants to take a fresh guard and make the most of the transitional phase that Indian cricket is going through at the moment.

When he burst on to the international scene as a member of M.S Dhoni’s Twenty-20 World Cup winning squad back in 2007, critics quickly labelled him as the potential successor to Rahul Dravid. Things, however, did not quite unfold that way. But Sharma, who is now in the middle of a successful campaign with Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Indian Premier League, is in no mood to brood over that.

“I admit there have been ups and downs but I believe in focusing on the future, not dwelling on the past. I have worked very hard to get to where I am,” Sharma told Gulf News from India, taking time out from a maddening IPL schedule.

The last month and a half have been a professionally rewarding one for Sharma, during which he has led the star-studded Mumbai team to the play-offs of IPL 6 as well as figuring among the top five run-getters of the league. His call-up to the Champions Trophy squad, however expected, has also come as another opportunity to rejuvenate his international career.

Asked whether he would rate this IPL as his best so far, Sharma said: “It’s definitely a special year for me. This is the first time I have captained the Mumbai Indians, and it’s surely an honour to captain a side which has some of the biggest names in world cricket.

“In terms of runs, I am happy with my performance this year, though we still have a long way to go [in the tournament]. However, I was the MVP for Deccan Chargers when they won the IPL in 2009 and it was pretty special too,” he said.

The early promise that Sharma showed with his class during that 2007 World Cup and the one-day series in Australia soon after that has been often blighted with a degree of inconsistency – though there were the odd high points, such as centuries in both innings of the 2008-09 Ranji final for Mumbai. There was major disappointment in store when he could not make the cut for the 2011 World Cup on home soil, but a more mature Sharma feels there is no point in looking back.

How does he feel he has emerged as a batsman over the last six years? A candid Sharma said: “I definitely get where the term older and wiser comes from. When I first started out, I didn’t realize the importance of things like fitness or diet. I take those things very seriously now and I am very disciplined with my sleep cycle. I have been working on my mental fitness as well. You can say that my training takes priority over everything else.”

The message that the Indian selectors have sent out with the squad for the Champions Trophy is that men like Sharma, Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli will form a major part of the blueprint for the title defence at the 2015 World Cup. Asked if he was ready to handle the extra burden of responsibility in the absence of senior pros like Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir or Yuvraj Singh, Sharma was quite matter of fact: “Absolutely. Like I said, by nature

I don’t dwell on things I can’t control. Whatever situation is thrown at me, I will do my best and give it one hundred per cent.”

He was also quite upbeat about India’s chances in what would be the last edition of the Champions Trophy, scheduled from June 6-23 in England. “We

are a strong team, we are the team to contend with. All anyone of us want is to bring the cup home.”

Finally, how far does Sharma feel he is away from securing a slot in the India middle order in Tests? “I am ready enough to don the whites, it’s the

holy grail for any cricketer. Selection, of course, is not in my hands but I will do my part on the field and hope for the best,” he concluded.