Not open and shut case

New Delhi, November 22

Rohit Sharma has revelled in his new role as a Test opener, but he’s ready to be flexible about his batting position in the Test series against Australia. Sharma is expected to play a big role in the series, especially in the absence of skipper Virat Kohli, who will return to India after the first Test to be present at the birth of his first child.

“I will be happy to bat wherever the team wants me to, but I don’t know if they would change my role as an opener,” Sharma said in an interview.

Sharma will reach Australia for the Test series after completing the strength and conditioning work at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, having picked up a hamstring injury during the IPL. “I am sure the guys already in Australia must have figured out what are the options when Virat leaves and who are the guys who will open the innings,” Sharma said. “Once I reach there, I will probably have a clearer idea of what’s going to happen. I will be okay to bat wherever they want.”

Sharma, who has a 46-plus average in 32 Tests, believes the bounce on the Australian tracks is not as big a factor as it is made out to be. “We talk about bounce but except for Perth, over the past few years, the other grounds (Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney), I don’t think have that much bounce,” Sharma, a fine exponent of the pull shot, said.

Bounce no issue

He cited the example of spinner Nathan Lyon’s eight wickets in the home team’s win at Perth in 2018. “We talk about bounce on Australian tracks. But tell me how many people got out on bouncers during the last series?” Sharma asked. “When we played in Perth in 2018-19, it was Nathan Lyon who got eight wickets, including a five-for. In Australia, half the job is done if you can start well upfront.”

He said home pacemen Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins or Mitchell Starc would bowl full with the new Kookaburra brand ball. “With new ball, whoever bowls, whether it’s Starc, Cummins or Hazlewood, they will obviously pitch it up, swing the ball and the bouncer would be used sparingly,” Sharma said. “They would try to ensure with the new ball that they would get some movement off the air or off the pitch. With the new ball, everybody in the world loves to bowl up and send down an odd bouncer here and there. So, majority of the deliveries will be up and towards the bat and not short.”

“Nowadays, especially while opening the batting, I will have to think about not playing the cut or pull shots and focus on playing in the ‘V’ and as straight as possible,” Sharma said.

Challenges of Tests

“It’s going to be challenging. In general, international cricket is never easy, whichever format it is. When you had such a long layoff, it becomes all the more difficult,” he said. “So, I would be focusing on basics of red ball cricket and then you can top up with other things… Once you have your basics strong, you can work around that and build your own technique. “

He said in his 13 years of international cricket, he has learnt his lessons well. “Mentally, I am prepared and I have had enough setbacks in my career where I have had long layoffs due to injury and due to form. I know how to come back and bounce back from that,” he said. “For me, being out for three, six or one month, really doesn’t matter. What matters to me is the process.” — PTI