BCCI cheers, fans jeer

A smiling Rohit Sharma sat down for the press conference on Thursday afternoon at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. After the usual instructions from the media in-charge, the floor was opened to questions.

One might have anticipated that the initial inquiry would center on the World Cup itself. However, this wasn't the case. Instead, Rohit Sharma found himself fielding a question he did not expect to be asked so soon.

"Hi, Rohit! How does it feel to be a captain (to a player), then be captained (by the same player), only to be a captain again (to the same player)?"

Rohit smiled and said: "Not everything goes your way. See, it is part of life. Not everything will go your way. It has been a great experience. Before (also), I have not been captain and I have played under a lot of captains. It is no different or new to me."

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"Whatever is there and you go by it and then try and do what is required from you as a player. I have only tried to do that in the last one month or so," he hastily remarked.

Poor Rohit! What else was he going to say? That he wasn't expecting to be removed from MI leadership so suddenly? Of course not. However, his response to the question was somewhat playful yet calculated, lacking the usual extensive and convoluted explanations he often engages himself in. Nonetheless, it proved sufficient to make headlines.

Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, seated next to Rohit, staunchly defended the inclusion of the under-fire Pandya in India's Twenty20 World Cup campaign. Questions regarding his dip in form are circulating in the media and while he hasn't been completely ineffective, he is leaking runs more than usual.

Although Pandya took over the captaincy of the Mumbai Indians this IPL season from Rohit, he has faced relentless jeering from spectators due to his inability to match the form of his esteemed predecessor. The 30-year-old's appointment as vice-captain for the upcoming tournament, co-hosted by the United States and West Indies, was particularly astonishing.

"Nothing discussed with regards to vice-captaincy...you want all guys to be in good form. He's come after a long-ish layoff... The hope is that he keeps building on that form," Agarkar said. "We know what he brings, how much balance he gives to the team. I don't think there's a replacement for the things that he can do as a cricketer at the moment, especially when it comes to the way he bowls. It will give Rohit options to play different combinations."

If Pandya the bowler is at all the reason he made it to the squad, there is every reason for an average Indian cricket fan to feel anxious. Although he has scored 197 runs at a strike rate of 150.38 with the willow this IPL, his bowling has been worrisome.

In about ten games thus far, the right-arm bowler has scalped six wickets at an average of 42.16 and an economy rate of 11. Speaking about the ‘balance' Agarkar believes Pandya will bring to the team, the last time the Baroda all-rounder stepped onto the field donning an India jersey was in October last year during the World Cup. To play under alien conditions in the States, his past deeds with the ball will be of minimal utility, truth be told. It is always the current form that matters. But Agarkar harbours lofty expectations and it will remain that way.

"We have another month and a little bit, till we play our first game. So, we know that he is doing that and the hope is that he keeps building on that form. His fitness, for us, is critical and so far he has gone okay in this IPL," said the former India pacer.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author's personal views and do not represent the views of Mid-Day.