India captain Rohit Sharma played down concerns over his fitness following his team’s six-wicket win against Pakistan in a crucial Champions Trophy Group A match on Sunday (Feb 23).
During the game, Rohit was seen struggling while fielding and briefly left the field, raising speculation of a hamstring issue. However, the 37-year-old reassured everyone during the post-match presentation.
"My hamstring is okay at the moment," Rohit stated, dismissing any worries.
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While India's bowlers set the foundation by dismissing Pakistan for 241, the spotlight was firmly on Virat Kohli, who sealed the victory with a boundary and notched up his 51st ODI century.
Rohit was full of praise for his long-time teammate. "Virat loves representing the country and doing what he does best. What he did today wasn’t surprising for those inside the dressing room," he said.
As India closed in on the target, with Kohli just a few runs away from his hundred, Rohit was seen encouraging him to reach the milestone with a couple of big hits.
Rohit credit spinners
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Rohit highlighted the collective effort. "We started superbly with the ball. We knew the wicket could slow down but backed our experienced batters to chase 240. Credit to Kuldeep, Axar, and Jadeja, who have played a lot in such conditions," he said.
He also acknowledged Pakistan’s fightback through Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel’s partnership but emphasised India's controlled approach.
"(Mohammed) Shami, Hardik (Pandya), and Harshit (Rana) bowled brilliantly as well. It was a great team performance. The boys understand their roles and execute them well.
"It's tricky at times because not everyone gets to bowl. I try to assess who is troubling the batters the most and make decisions accordingly," Rohit concluded.