India skipper Rohit Sharma has dismissed Ravi Shastri’s assertion of overconfidence and claimed it as ‘absolutely rubbish’ as his side prepares for the final Border-Gavaskar Test in Ahmedabad. India who lost the third Test in Indore by nine wickets were criticised by the former coach who thought that India had a sense of overconfidence in them. India lead the four-match Test series 2-1, but will need a draw in Ahmedabad to claim a spot in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June.
Rohit takes dig at Shastri
“Honestly, when you win two games and people on the outside feel that we are overconfident, it’s absolutely rubbish, because you want to do your best in all four games,” Rohit said while addressing Shastri’s claims.
Rohit called his side “ruthless” more than arrogant.
“Ravi himself has been in this dressing room, he knows what sort of mindset we have,” said Rohit.
Shastri had accused the team of “a little complacency, a little bit of overconfidence”.
India lost the previous match by nine wickets on a viciously turning pitch at Indore, but the track at the world’s biggest cricket stadium is expected to give the batsmen some respite. Rohit though has had enough of the talk about pitches.
“How challenging the pitches are? How much is it turning? How much is it seaming? We are trying to keep all of that away,” said Rohit.
Ace Indian seamer Mohammed Shami is all set to return to the playing XI for the final Test against Australia in Ahmedabad as India eye a slot in the finals of the WTC. Shami was rested for the third Test in Indore as part of the workload management drill by the BCCI and team management for the key players who are in the scheme of things for the 50-over World Cup.
The hosts took a 2-0 lead in the four-match series to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy before losing the third Test in Indore in just over two days.
India to seal WTC final place?
India will have a do-or-die contest in hand as they try to seal a place in the final of the WTC. Having retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India will need a clear win to keep their fate in their own hands. The hosts won the opening two contests of the series in Nagpur and Delhi respectively, while they were beaten convincingly in Indore. The win in Indore for the Aussies saw them clinch one place in the WTC final while leaving India, South Africa and Sri Lanka fighting for the other.
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