India tackle Bangladesh within the first of the two-Test sequence beginning December 14 and can be with out companies of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami, who’re out with accidents.
India must win their subsequent six matches (two in Bangladesh and 4 vs Australia at dwelling) to complete in top-two within the World Test Championship factors desk. The crew is at present on the fourth spot behind Australia (75 proportion factors), South Africa (60 proportion factors) and Sri Lanka (64 proportion factors).
“There is a Test championship (final) qualification so we will also have to be aggressive. We know where we stand and what we need to do to qualify for the final,” mentioned Rahul throughout a media convention after the disclosing of the trophy.
“Each day, each session we will assess what is required for the team in that particular moment and give our best.”
The season-ending World Test Championship can be held in June, 2023 on the Oval in London.
The stand-in skipper Rahul assured that the crew is focussed on getting a consequence however will not be going to the sport with a inflexible mindset.
“We won’t go in with any set mindset. Yes, there is a certain history of a venue, you look at the numbers and take some pointers from that. At least for us we will go there and try to be aggressive and brave, try and get a result.
“The sport is performed over 5 days so you will need to break it all the way down to smaller targets. In each session, the calls for can be totally different however one factor is certain that you will see quite a lot of aggressive cricket from our aspect,” the skipper assured.
A lot of this talk of aggressive intent has come watching England team’s radically different ultra-aggressive approach, which has caught the imagination of cricket fans.
And skipper Rahul doesn’t think English style of batsmanship characterises “recklessness”.
“As cricketers, I do not suppose it’s reckless cricket. They have sure mindset, they considered it, they again their gamers and the gamers are doing the job for the crew, so it does not matter how you will have completed it. Cricket is altering, there isn’t any set approach of how this sport must be performed,” the stylish opener said.
Rahul in fact immensely enjoyed England’s 2-0 series win in Pakistan with a Test match still to go.
“To watch these two matches between England and Pakistan has actually been attention-grabbing. I’m actually having fun with watching Test cricket being performed like that, a really fearless, taking the sport on.
“But each team has its own way. All teams can learn a thing or two from the teams that are doing well. You can’t always have the same approach. You turn up according to the conditions,” he mentioned, offering his tackle English strategy.
“Hope Rohit can recover and play 2nd Test”
Skipper Rohit Sharma has now missed back-to-back Test matches — one vs England in July as a result of COVID-19 and now in opposition to Bangladesh as a result of left thumb dislocation and cut up webbing.
“Rohit is an important player for us. He is an experienced player and captain of our team. He is someone that the team will really miss but we hope he can recover quickly and comeback for the second Test,” Rahul mentioned.
“Don’t know the criteria for selecting vice-captain”
The earlier nationwide choice committee had named Cheteshwar Pujara as vice-captain for the Bangladesh sequence whilst chairman Chetan Sharma had mentioned that Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah together with Rahul are being groomed as future leaders.
Pujara is nearly holding onto to his spot within the Test squad and vice-captaincy can be an absolute enhance. Pujara was additionally named vice-captain for one Test match in the course of the 2020-21 historic tour of Australia.
When Rahul was requested concerning the vice captaincy, he sidestepped the difficulty.
“Regarding vice-captain, at least I don’t know what is the criteria. Whoever is picked, you give yourself a pat on the back. It really doesn’t change too many things, everybody in the team knows their roles and responsibilities.”
He did not need to distinguish between who may have been a greater deputy.
“Rishabh and Pujara both have been brilliant for us in Test cricket and have done the job so many times. So we really don’t think much. The team wins as eleven players and when we go down we go down as whole team. Everyone has responsibility.”
“Shubman has done his job whenever given opportunity”
As a skipper, it’s at all times essential to again the performers and Rahul believes that his doubtless opening companion Shubman Gill is one in all them.
“Shubman has been a brilliant player and it is wonderful to see his transformation (in ODIs). In Tests, whenever he has got the opportunity he has done the job for the team. He has temperament for the longest format. In every format, he is exciting. What we can do is back exciting and talented players.”
Rahul believes in empowering his gamers to make their very own on-field selections and play with a free thoughts.
“It is important as a leader to back your players, let them make their own decisions. At the same time, it is also important that we enjoy our cricket and not really think too much. It is about what we require to do as a team and as individuals to win the game for the country,” the Bangalore man mentioned.
(With inputs from PTI)