Rohit Sharma is hopeful that his opening partnership with Shikhar Dhawan can go on to emulate the highly successful pairing of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. Sharma also shared his views on India’s recent tour of Australia and talked about his ambitions post the successful outing on a personal as well as the team front.
Good starts from Dhawan and Sharma played a key role in India’s 3-0 whitewash over Australia in the T20 series as well as the high run-chase at the SCG against the reigning world champions in the fifth and final ODI that was played prior to the T20 series. Though delighted with the comparisons, Sharma acknowledges that the duo has a long way to go if they have to match the success earned by the opening partnership of Tendulkar and Ganguly.
Want to score more than 441 in next series: Rohit
“Comparisons with India's most successful opening pairing (Ganguly-Tendulkar) gives you immense satisfaction. Comparisons are a piece of joy. It would be great if Shikhar and I as an opening pair can achieve the success that these two accomplished in their illustrious careers," Rohit told PTI in an exclusive interview, as reported by Times of India.
"We are still not there but both of us would like to entertain the fans and win as many matches as they have won for India."
As for his own rich vein of form, Sharma said that he was always striving to perform better and believes that he can perform even better in the future.
“This is not the best. Whatever I achieve, I would always tell myself that my best is yet to come. I have scored 441 runs in the ODI series in Australia.
“In the next big series, my target will be to score more than that. If I am satisfied with my past achievements, I will never be able to set higher benchmarks," the 28-year-old said.
2008 VB series more satisfying than T20 series victory
Though buoyed by the whitewash of the Australian side in the T20 series, the Mumbai Indians skipper said that he rated India’s victory over Australia in the finals of the VB series in 2008 as a more satisfying one. MS Dhoni’s men sealed the best-of-3 finals riding on Tendulkar’s knocks of 117* and 91 in the first two matches.
"No way, that was so different. I was a 20-year-old on my second or third tour. The new captain (Dhoni) was just settling down.
“Imagine their bowling attack. Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken and a far younger Mitchell Johnson. The batting line-up comprised Hayden, Gilchrist, Ponting and Clarke. So that tournament win can't be compared to this win but this is also special in its own way," Sharma said.
He also dismissed suggestions that the T20 series victory came easy as the Australians were without their major bowlers- with Mitchell Starc out due to an injury- while they also rested a few other first-choice bowlers.
"I agree that their bowling attack is not same as it used to be but does one expect Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath to have played forever? You can only score runs off the bowlers that you play against. Every win counts as that's what you are supposed to do while playing for the country," he said.
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