Rohit Sharma, World Cup and "Unfinished Business"

"That great man (Sachin Tendulkar) said that so many times that you know he still has some work to do until he wins the World Cup." Yes, I'm sure you know who I mean.

When asked what it would mean for this group of cricketers if they didn't win the World Cup, Rohit Sharma was very honest. He used the two words "unfinished business," which Sachin Tendulkar, one of the best cricket players of all time, has used before. Six trips to the multi-nation event were needed for the "great man" to finally win the title in 2011. That was a big year for the Indian cricket team.

They finally won the World Cup after a long wait, and it was even better because it happened in front of a big crowd at home in Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium. On that night, one person from Mumbai got to end their wait. For another right-hander from the same state, it was a time to think about the future and get ready for it. When Rohit, who was 24 at the time, wasn't picked for the team, he went back to the drawing board and never looked back. Yes, he was upset that he didn't make the team, and he has talked about that many times. But he also wanted to get his job back on track.

"This is important to me"

Not only did he rule with the bat, but as captain, he made the whole world take notice over the course of 12 years. After winning many titles with Mumbai Indians, he was put in charge of leading the Indian team in all forms. He is now just hours away from taking the pitch as captain of India in a World Cup.

"First, being on this World Cup team is an honour, and now being captain is even more so." When it comes to cricket, the 50-over World Cup is the biggest game ever. For me, this is the most important event I will be a part of. And yes, it is a huge pleasure to be captain as well. I've said many times that being on the World Cup team has always been a dream of mine. So now I'm on the team and captain? I don't know how to explain that because it's such a big deal for me," Rohit Sharma says at the press conference before the game.

It's very important. It's a big deal to play for India and then lead India. Even more important is to play for India in the World Cup, and it's probably the most important thing to walk out for the toss as captain. That's something that not even the "great man" Sachin Tendulkar has. Rohit, the hitter, had a great tournament in 2019, when he hit five hundreds as an opener. But this World Cup, which is being held in India, will be very different. No matter where they go or what they do, the Cup question and pressure will always be with them.

"Yes, it's the World Cup, but we want to treat this as a tournament. So when we play different teams, we'll focus on those teams and then move on. We won't think about what's coming up or what the future holds for us or things like that." That can only make things worse. Rohit says, "To ease the stress, all you need to do is think about what's coming up tomorrow and keep things very simple."

When it comes to his own hitting, Rohit Sharma wants to keep putting the team first.

When I'm at bat, I want to focus on what I can do best for the team, no matter what that is, like getting off to a good start or hitting as long as I can. "I'll try to do everything that needs to be done for the team," the captain says.

Not having a panic

The World Cup is likely the biggest prize in cricket, but trying to be the best can make you desperate, and Rohit wants his team to stick to the "process." Rohit doesn't mind being hungry to do well, but it shouldn't make him desperate.

The World Cup is the most important prize in sports, so you want to win it. Still, there is a way to do it. You need to follow a certain set of steps. There's a way to do it. In a hurry, you can do a lot of things that can lead to a lot of other things. That's why it's good to be poor. Being hungry is good.

But you need to find a balance, right? Balance to stay desperate and hungry for, whether it's getting runs, winning games, or lifting the prize. But you need to find a balance. He says, "Don't get too ahead of yourself, because that could lead you to something you don't want."

After a very honest news conference, the captain ended on a hopeful note. I hope that the team has the right amount of luck to win the whole competition.

"Of course, we also have to leave a lot to God because we need some luck in the tournament." "Rahit, I hope we get that luck."

Rohit adds with a smile and a lot of hope, "But yeah, it would be nice to win a World Cup."