ODI World Cup 2023: Why Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli Bowled Against Netherlands, Indian Captain Explains

Skipper Rohit Sharma expressed the importance of enjoying each other's company in the dressing room, attributing it to the team's good results. After securing their ninth consecutive victory by defeating the Netherlands in the World Cup league stage, Rohit described their campaign as clinical.

"We enjoy each other's company. We wanted to play with enjoyment on the field. We try to keep the atmosphere outside lively. The results do matter to keep the dressing room lively. We are playing in India , there will be expectation. We wanted to do the job at hand. It's one thing to talk about it but for everyone to buy into it is very important," said the skipper.

India, topping the league standings with 18 points, is set to face New Zealand in the first semi-final on November 15 in Mumbai.

"Very pleased at how we've played in these nine games. Very clinical from game one to today," Rohit added, highlighting the team's consistent performance.

The hallmark of India's campaign has been a collective team effort, with different players stepping up when needed. "Different individuals have stepped up and put their hand up and done the job. Everyone wanted to take the responsibility. We started the tournament four games in a row chasing, and then we had to bat first, and the pacers did the job along with the spinners," Rohit explained.

Taking one game at a time has been the team's approach. "Since we started the tournament, it was all about one game at a time. We never wanted to look too far ahead. It is a long tournament, 11 games in all if we go all the way," he emphasised. Adapting to different venues presented a challenge, but the team managed to adjust successfully.

Regarding the on-field camaraderie, Rohit mentioned using himself, Virat Kohli , Suryakumar Yadav , and Shubman Gill as bowlers against the Dutch, with both him and Kohli even taking a wicket each. Asked about the plan behind it, Rohit explained, "It is something that is always in our mind. We want to create those options in the team, today we had nine options. This was the game we could have tried certain things."

The player of the match, Shreyas Iyer , who scored an impressive 128 not out off 94 balls, shared his determination not to throw away his wicket. "I kind of had a deja vu. This had happened against Australia as well, and I threw my wicket. But this time I wanted to come not out. I wanted to capitalise on the start," said Iyer .

Reflecting on his innings, Iyer mentioned working on certain shots in the nets, especially the straight six. "I was trying to hit straight, and keep my head down. Get into a good position, and after that, it is a follow-through of the bat that ends behind my shoulder."

Netherlands captain Scott Edwards acknowledged India's batting prowess, stating, "They (India) showed pure class with the bat. They soaked up the pressure. When you are three down with ten overs left, you are going to score some runs."

Looking ahead to the T20 World Cup next year, Edwards recognised the need for improvement, saying, "They are as good a side going around. We will have to be a lot better going into the T20 World Cup next year. Playing to learn with that." As for the future of the Netherlands team after the World Cup, he mentioned ongoing training camps but expressed uncertainty about the fixtures.