December 24, 2024: Ahead of the Boxing Day Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India skipper Rohit Sharma shared his focus on the upcoming match, emphasizing that the team is concentrating solely on delivering a strong performance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on December 26. The series is currently tied 1-1 after India secured a draw in the third Test at Brisbane, making the MCG Test crucial for both teams.
Reflecting on India’s journey in the series so far, Rohit highlighted the team’s resilience and attitude, especially after their dramatic victory in the Perth Test. He pointed out that despite being bowled out for just 150 runs in the first innings, the Indian team’s response in the second innings—where they bowled Australia out for only 100—demonstrated their fighting spirit and determination to not give up until the final moment of the match.
Rohit said, “We played some really good cricket, we’ve been fortunate as well, when we won that test match, when you get bowled out for 150 runs, you feel that you are under pressure a little bit, and then the attitude from the boys, how they turned up and got Australia bowled out for 100 runs, shows that there is an attitude where nobody wants to give it up until the last day of the test match, or the last over of the test match is bowled.” He went on to stress that this mindset has been a hallmark of India’s overseas tours, where they know that extra effort and attitude are required to succeed.
Talking about the Adelaide Test, where India lost by 10 wickets, Rohit acknowledged that the team was “a little bit behind in the game” and did not perform well. However, he admitted that the result was a reflection of their own shortcomings in that match. In contrast, he praised the solid cricket displayed by both teams in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
On the current state of the series, Rohit said, “After three test matches, if I had to look at it being one-all, it’s a fair reflection of how both teams have played, there’s been solid cricket being played by both teams.” He noted that the next two Test matches, particularly the one in Melbourne, would be decisive for both sides, but the team is focusing on the task at hand: “We want to break it down to just Melbourne now and focus on what we can achieve here, get our things right, play well, bat well, bowl well, and take some good catches as well.”
With the series evenly poised, India’s approach is to keep their focus solely on the next match, with Rohit emphasizing the need for solid all-round performances. The team’s preparation and mindset will be crucial in the high-stakes Boxing Day Test.
