Kolkata: Rohit Sharma, India’s ‘Hitman’ in white ball cricket and the likely captain in T20 format after the T20 World Cup, said he is hungry to build on his current form in Tests after the recent series in England.
“England tour was a good one for me, based on where I was standing in Test cricket before that. But I wouldn’t say this was my best. I know my best in Test cricket is yet to come. I utilised the time, 15-20 days after the World Test Championship final in Southampton. I understood those small little adjustments and technique required when playing in England.
‘‘I am really happy with how I batted on that tour. I will now look to take that confidence forward and build on that success in Test cricket,” Sharma said from Abu Dhabi during a virtual press conference organised by Adidas on Monday for the launch of its campaign. He is leading the five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians in the ongoing edition of the league in the UAE and will join the Indian squad after that for the T20 World Cup.
Sharma upstaged his captain Virat Kohli to emerge as the highest run-scorer for India in the Tests against England with 368 runs in eight innings at an average of 52.57, including a hundred and two half-centuries. Sharma’s 127 in the second innings of the fourth Test at the Oval was his first Test hundred in overseas conditions.
The 34-year-old believes that the series is over for him and admitted there is no clarity on the fifth Test in Manchester, which was cancelled due to concerns of COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp.
“It was a great tour, personally for me and for the team. I don’t know what has happened with the last Test match, whether we will play it as a one-off Test or the series will be decided as it is. We don’t have any clarity on that yet. But in my eyes, we have won the series 2-1. That’s how I would like to look at it.”
Sharma will be back to international duties with the men’s T20 World Cup with India opening their Super 12 campaign against Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai.
