Rohit Sharma and Co are set to take on West Indies in a two-match Test series starting from July 12 onwards. This Test series marks the beginning of new WTC cycle and team India will be itching to have a perfect start to the season. Indian batting order looks solid with the likes of Shubman Gill, Rohit, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in the team.
The spin department will be held by the senior pros including Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja alongside Axar Patel. However, the same cannot be said for the Indian pace department which consists of Mohammed Siraj, Jaydev Unadkat and Mukesh Kumar. Despite being short on experience at the international level, skipper Rohit believes that the pace department will come good in the series.
We have to manage our pacers: Rohit Sharma
“Indian cricket will always face this challenge because we play a lot of cricket, so obviously we have to manage players, rotate them and give them enough breaks. When they return, we want them fresh. We need to be wary of the tournaments ahead of us; there is a World Cup coming, so we have to keep that in mind too.
We do not have the luxury to focus on one particular series, we have to look ahead also. We have to see which player is needed where. That is why we’ve had to rotate players, and then the new players come. It is a good thing also in a way as others are getting a chance.
“We have to create our bench strength, because you cannot play with just one team for years on. You have to create a bench strength and the players that are toiling, you need to bring them in the team so that they get a chance and we can also see how well they handle pressure on the international stage, how they bring out their best.
“I have a lot of confidence in the new bowlers. Jaydev Unadkat is not new, he has been around for 10-12 years [in domestic cricket]. Mukesh Kumar has been very consistent in domestic cricket. He has done well for his state, in the zonal games and for India A. He has been given a chance, and we will see the combination we play.”
