Rohit Sharma opens up about 'argument' with Gautam Gambhir Ajit Agarkar in Australia. Reason...

Captain Rohit Sharma has revealed that his decision to opt out of the Sydney Test against Australia earlier this year was not unanimous. In fact, the call involved an "argument" with head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, ''The Hitman'' revealed.

Rohit Sharma had led India at Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but failed with the bat in five consecutive innings. It was then he decided to sit out to include Shubman Gill in the playing XI. Gill had missed the Boxing Day Test at MCG as a result of Sharma returning to the team.

 

"We somehow wanted Gill to play, he's such a good player. He missed out in the previous Test match. I'm like... okay, if I'm not hitting the ball well, it is right now. Things can change five days later, ten days later," Rohit told former Australian skipper Michael Clarke during Beyond23 Cricket podcast.

 

"I spoke to the coach and the selector, and they kind of agreed, not agreed, .... there was an argument around it," he disclosed.

 

 

"You try and put the team first, you just look at what the team wants, and make the decision accordingly. Sometimes it will work, sometimes it may not. That's how it goes. Every decision you try and make, you aren't guaranteed success," said Rohit said explaining his decision to put the youngster above him.

 

"I didn't have a great game (in Adelaide). Then I went back to the room, and I was like, I should have opened man. I would rather fail doing what I do and where I do it. That's my place, that's my position. I would rather go there and bat, whether I get success or not, it's a different story. But I'm in my natural position for the team," he said.

 

In fact, he thought, he should give himself another game in Brisbane.

 

"And I said, no. It's only one game. Let's not overthink, let's give it another game. It's 1-1. We can try and change things around in Brisbane. And then, it was a draw. When we got back to Melbourne, we changed our mind. I went back to open the innings."

 

Rohit admitted that he had to drop himself as there were multiple players, who were out of form at the same time, including star batter Virat Kohli. Barring his hundred in the opener in Perth, Kohli struggled through the series.

 

"In the last Test match... I had to be honest with myself. I wasn't hitting the ball well. I didn't want to put myself there only because we had dropped the other guys who were struggling as well," Rohit added.

 

The skipper said that once he got the leadership responsibility, he had to put the interests of the team first at all times.

 

"Since I started captaining the national team, I just felt that not just me but rest of the guys also need to think alike and put the team first, do what is necessary for the team, and not worry about my runs, my score and my hundred, my five wickets.

 

"Because it is important, you are playing team sport, if you get 100 and not cross the finishing line, what's the use..."

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