Will accept whatever BCCI decides: Rohit Sharma on touring Pakistan for 2023 Asia Cup
India captain Rohit Sharma said that his team is only focusing on the ongoing ICC Twenty20 World Cup and have left other decisions up to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), referring to BCCI secretary Jay Shah’s remarks concerning India's travel to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup.
“My focus is on World Cup. Whatever BCCI decides we will go by that,” said the Indian captain while addressing a press conference ahead of the high-voltage clash against Pakistan on 23 October.
Earlier the BCCI secretary, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) completely dismissed the speculations that the Indian team will travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup and said that the tournament could be shifted to a neutral venue.
“We will have Asia Cup 2023 at a neutral venue. It’s the government which decides over the permission of the team visiting Pakistan so we won’t comment on that but for the 2023 Asia Cup it’s decided that the tournament will be held at some neutral venue,” Jay Shah told reporters after the 91st Annual general meeting of the BCCI in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Rohit stressed on the importance of the team performing well in all three departments while agreeing to the challenge Pakistan pacers pose and said, “We know Pakistan bowling will challenge us. We have to bat well, bowl well and focus on fielding which is also an important aspect.”
While commenting on the strongest Pakistani team he has played against, he said, “All the Pakistani teams I have played against were good. It is about who plays well on that day.”
When asked about the pressure to win an ICC trophy after the Indian team not winning any global tournament since their Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, the right-hander said, “I won’t say pressure but it is a challenge. We will have to do well. The last we won was nine years back in 2013. We have to take one game at a time.”
Rohit stated that the team is ready for the matchups that the team will encounter throughout the tournament since they have been put in such situations before the World Cup which has prepared the team for it.
“We are prepared for matchups. We did it before the World Cup. So that we can have the right matchup if there is an injury,” said the Indian batter.
The threat of rainfall looms over the blockbuster ICC T20 World Cup 2022 clash between India and Pakistan in Melbourne.
Though fans are hyped up for this match and are waiting for this anxiously, rain gods could play spoilsport in the campaign opener for these two Asian giants.