'Trusting my instincts': Rohit reflects on his leadership style

IMAGE: Opening India's batting, Rohit Sharma led by example as India took an aggressive approach towards the Bangladeshi bowlers. Photograph: BCCI

Rohit Sharma believes that he has played enough cricket to trust his own judgements, like he did in what will be seen as a potentially grammar changing Test match against Bangladesh, which India won by seven wickets despite the game losing more than 220 overs due to inclement weather.

After complete washout on day two and three, the Indian team scored at an unprecedented eight runs plus per over, to set it up nicely with a total of only 173.2 overs needed for a result.

"I have been (out) there enough to trust my judgements on what I do," Rohit told BCCI.TV after India completed a 2-0 sweep of Bangladesh.

Rohit said that while he is open to suggestions, the final call is his and he completely trusts his own gut feeling.

"The decisions that I take on the field, I then go by it. Obviously there are players around me who are open to giving suggestions but, at the end of the day, I trust my mind and my judgement and that's all that matters when you are playing," the 'Hit Man' asserted.

He knows that not every instinctive call will always work but one needs experience and knowledge of situations to back it.

"At highest level, you need to have a bit of everything. You need to be calm to take decisions wisely, you need to take a lot of decisions and not every decision will go your way but you have to back it and use your experience and knowledge, that is what I do," he said.

Would have been criticized had it gone the other way

Rohit has no doubt that had India's ultra aggressive approach gone off track, his team would have copped flak.

"What was important is what we are thinking inside the change room and that's what matters and that's what we went with.

"The bowlers came to the party first, got wickets we needed, when we came inside, we had to take risk and the result could have gone on either side but I was okay with it and so was the coach, because you have to be brave enough to take certain decisions and also play that way," he said.

"It was a clear plan that we want a result and how we can get that result and everybody started finding answers for that. I think this was an exceptional series that may go unnoticed," the skipper felt.
Rohit was very pleased with fielding as the team took 23 out of the 24 catches that came its way.

"I was just informed, 24 catches came our way and we took 23, great result, especially in India where ball doesn't carry in slips and because they were standing way ahead than they normally do. The catches are hard to take as reaction time is very less" he explained.

"And I have seen everyone put in lot of effort in getting those things right. (T) Dilip (fielding coach) is actually helping the players with some crucial catches that's turning the game around," he informed.

Never believed in aggressive body language

Rohit has never believed in aggressive body language as that is not his style of functioning on the field.

"I think aggression for me is all about actions. It's not about my reactions. The kind of batting we do, kind of field positioning we do. The kind of bowling we do, that to me is aggression," the skipper said.
However, he doesn't mind when a Mohammed Siraj walks up to a batter for a conversation as it might play on the mind of the latter.

"You saw Siraj, superb athlete, he gives everything on the field he has. Even on flat pitches when nothing is happening, he wants to do something -- talk to batter, make him uncomfortable so that teams gets into the game, it's happening for some years now," he added.