Rohit emphasised that opportunities will only be extended to individuals who exhibit a “hunger for success” in the most challenging format of the game.
India secured their 17th consecutive Test series win at home by defeating England by five wickets in the fourth Test.The contributions of new additions like Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Akash Deep were pivotal to the team’s overall triumph.
Rohit expressed his satisfaction with their performances and outlined the specific qualities of talent he seeks in the team.
“Jin logon ko bhookh hai, hum unhi logon ko mauka denge (We will give opportunities to only those who are hungry),” Rohit declared, making it clear that the team management is not willing to entertain players who do not display a burning desire to perform.
“Agar hunger nahi hai to unko khila ke koi matlab nahi hai (There’s a point in playing those who don’t have hunger),” he said.
Rohi’s remarks closely followed a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), instructing players such as Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer to participate in Ranji Trophy matches. However, both players chose to overlook the message and did not comply with the directive.
“I don’t see anyone in the team here who is not hungry. All the boys who are here and also those who are not, they all want to play. But the thing with Test cricket is that you get very few opportunities. If you don’t utilise them, they go away,” he asserted.
The 25-year-old Kishan skipped the Ranji Trophy for his state Jharkhand, but was spotted in Baroda, training with Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya for the IPL scheduled next month.
Asked if the cash-rich league is affecting the drive for Test cricket among young players, Rohit said, “Test cricket is the toughest format. If you want to excel and achieve success in this format, you have to show the hunger.”
Without naming anyone, Rohit pointed out the stringent selection criteria set by the team management.
“Yeh pata chal jata hai kisko bhookh nahin hai aur kin logon ko yahan pe rehna nahin hai. Yeh pata chalta hai. Jo logon ko bhookh hai, tough conditions mein khelna hai, un logon ko preference diya jayega. (It becomes apparent who is not hungry and who does not want to stay here. Those who are hungry, who want to play in tough conditions, will be given preference). It’s very simple,” he emphasised.
“IPL is a very good format for us, but this is the toughest format and difficult to excel. You have to work hard to win…the last three wins didn’t come easy, bowlers had to do long spell, batsmen had to grind it out. It’s tough,” he explained.
Rohit also commended the exceptional performances of the young players, singling out Jaiswal for his impressive achievements, including two double centuries. Additionally, he acknowledged the crucial contributions of wicketkeeper-batsman Jurel, whose efforts in both innings played a pivotal role in India’s victory in the match.
“To adapt to the style of our play, these guys have come with an open mind and are ready to put their hands up and do it. That is the kind of guys we need in our squad. Basically putting the team before the individual,” he said.
“Moving forward, it’s a big plus for us. They showed they belong here, they have the ability, skills to excel in this format. a lot of these guys are quite young, you will see these guys playing quite regularly in this format in the coming 5-10 years for sure,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)