03 April,2017 01:35 PM IST | | Subodh Mayure
Out of cricket for five months due to a thigh injury that required surgery, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma can't wait to blaze away in IPL-10
Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh
Though Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma was out of action for five months due to a thigh surgery during which he missed 10 Tests (five vs England, the one-off Test vs Bangladesh and four vs Australia) and three ODIs and T20Is each against England, he is now fit and raring to go as the Indian Premier League (IPL) gets underway in two days' time.
Not looking back
During a press meet yesterday, the MI skipper said: "It feels a long time... actually, more than five months. I am looking forward to getting back on the field. I missed a lot of games, but it's part of any sportsman's career and I am not looking back. I want to start the season on a high."
MI open their campaign with an away game against Rising Pune Supergiant on April 6 and Rohit insisted that the long lay-off won't have any negative impact on his performance. "I am just 29, so I don't think missing cricket for five months will make much of a difference. These things will happen in future too, so it does not come as a surprise. It's important for me to stay strong and focused. I am looking forward and there's so much cricket coming up," said Rohit.
The classy right-hander, who got injured while taking a single in the Vishakapatnam ODI against New Zealand on October 29, 2016, admitted he didn't enjoying being away from the game for five months. His tough mindset helped him overcame this difficult period.
It wasn't a holiday
"I was not on holiday. I was in rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). If you want to call that a holiday destination then you may. Injury is part and parcel of any sportsperson's career and the most important thing at that moment is your mindset. Rather than thinking about what has happened, it is better to think how I am going to get myself ready. That is how I was thinking all the time.
Back and ready to play
"It was tough sitting in the hotel room and watching the team play. Yes, you have to go through it and I have done it many times. I was focusing on how quickly I could get on to the field. I give a lot of credit to the NCA staff. When you have a big injury you tend to lose muscle strength. It was a big challenge to get it back and become stronger. Thankfully, I am back and ready to play again," Rohit explained.
