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‘Being a top order batsman it is a responsibility to get the team to a good score.’
'My key is always assessing the conditions and playing according to the requirements of the team at a given point.'
The in-form Rohit Sharma says being entrusted the task of opening the innings in limited-overs' cricket has put added responsibility on his shoulders.
Continuing his rich vein of form, the opening batsman scored a blazing 83 to lay the foundation for India's thumping victory over Bangladesh in the Asia Cup T20 opener, in Mirpur, on Wednesday.
"Batting at the top of the order has put up added responsibility on my shoulders. Being a top order batsman, it is a responsibility to get the team off to a good score and make winning matches a habit," Rohit said.
He added, "Experiences play a huge part in this game. The more cricket you play, the more experience you get, as to how you need to build your innings, what is required by the team and identifying your game etc. These things have helped me a lot in the past."
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Put in to bat on a pacer-friendly wicket, India put up a fighting 166 for six, with Rohit scoring his runs under pressure after the team was reduced to 42 for three at one stage.
"My key is always assessing the conditions and playing according to the requirements of the team at a given point. I try and play according to that and it is really helping me of late," he was quoted as saying by BCCI.TV.
"Everything boils down to the basics. You cannot forget your basics even when you are playing T20 cricket. Sometimes you come across a pitch which is not suited for going and playing your shots and you have to bide your time and see what is happening.
"It is not always that easy to go about playing shots. You have to create a foundation behind you and pace your innings accordingly. That was my idea -- to lay a foundation for my innings and the team. I know, once I have that foundation going, I can play my shots and switch gears."
The Mumbai batsman lauded the contributions of Yuvraj Singh and young Hardik Pandya -- with whom he shared two half-century stands -- in India's total.
"Those were two crucial partnerships. We lost three wickets in a hurry and it was important for us to get going and keep the game moving forward. The half-century stand that me and Yuvraj Singh got was also important at that stage.
"A wicket at that stage would have pushed us down in the game and it would have been really difficult to get back after that.
"Credit to Yuvraj Singh as well, to come and bat the way he did. Hardik too changed the momentum of the game completely when he walked in to bat."