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With their approaches to batting, Rohit Sharma and
Rahul Dravid exemplify the idea of opposites, like fire and ice. In the ODIs,
Rohit now likes to unleash a barrage on the bowlers, taking the assault to the
opposition from the first ball, whereas Dravid anchors and carefully rotates
the strike. In sharp contrast to Rohit’s 91 strike rate, which has increased to
around 125 in the current World Cup, Dravid returned a career strike rate of
71.
When they work together, they become a unified team
that skillfully combines their disparate styles for a shared goal. The idea
that opposite poles attract is supported by their compatibility.
One would not know if the team will carry the coach on
their shoulders should India win the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in
Ahmedabad, but Rohit paid ultimate tribute to the coach on the eve of the World
Cup final. “what he has done for Indian cricket is massive. And he also
feels that he wants to be part of this big occasion. And it’s for us to do it
for him.”
The skipper dwelt upon the coach’s contribution in
giving freedom to the players and backing them to the hilt. Besides, he also
emphasised on the role clarity for the players. “There’s one thing for me
to think about and the other thing for the coach to not agree to certain
things. Clearly, looking at how Rahul bhai himself has played his cricket and
how I am playing these days, obviously it’s quite contrasting. For him to agree
and give me that freedom and liberty to go and play the way we want to play, that
says a lot about him.
“Also, the way he stood by the players in
difficult times where during the T20 World Cup, we had a good run up until that
semi-final and we lost and how he reacted to certain situations and informing
the players about this is what we are looking at and all of that says a lot
about him as well.”