Virat Kohli has admitted that Rohit Sharma‘s consistent big-scoring during this World Cup has altered the role that he is required to play.
Rohit has impressed with the bat so far in the tournament as he looks well set to beat Sachin Tendulkar‘s record of 673 runs at a single World Cup tournament. Currently, he has 647 runs and if he can continue the form that has seen him hit five centuries in only eight innings, the chances of Tendulkar’s record remaining after tomorrow appear slim. In the lead-up to tomorrow’s game against New Zealand Kohli highlighted the changes to his role in the India side.
“It’s great that Rohit has been scoring so consistently, which means that coming in the later half of the innings, you have to play a different role, which is controlling the middle overs and letting guys like Hardik (Pandya), Kedar (Jadhav), MS (Dhoni) and Rishabh (Pant) express themselves.
“I’ve understood that roles can vary a lot in one day cricket depending on the time you step in to bat and I’ve been very happy holding one end and letting other guys express themselves striking at 150-160 and even 200.”
Despite not getting the runs that the likes of Rohit Sharma and tomorrow’s opposite number Kane Williamson have got in this tournament, Kohli has still managed to average a shade over 63.
It comes following a World Cup that has seen as many as five half-centuries from Kohli but a failure to convert any of them into centuries with a high score of 82.
Kohli told reporters that he had hoped Rohit could continue his scintillating form and get two more hundreds in India’s bid to win a third World Cup.
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