Rohit Sharma confident of making amends in Lanka

In-form star Rohit Sharma can't wait to tackle Murali and Mendis in their backyard again

Rohit Sharma confident of making amends in Lanka

In-form star Rohit Sharma can't wait to tackle Murali and Mendis in their backyard again

OFF-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, already the highest wicket-taker in Tests, is just five wickets shy of topping the ODI wicket-takers' chart and Ajantha Mendis, hailed as Murali's successor as the leading spinner in world cricket, has not long ago dismantled the most destructive batting line-up.

So, as Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men, after being first demolished by M & M Magic and then avenging the Test series loss with a victory in the one-dayers, are set to tour the island yet again next week, any cricket buff would be wondering: who's a bigger threat for the Indian batsmen, Murali or Mendis?

But Rohit Sharma is different. Ask him the same question, and the stylish middle order batsman instantly replies: "No one."

Sharma, fresh from his last week's twin tons for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy final, justifies his bold statement.

"We are getting another chance to have a go at them. And all our batsmen are in tremendous form, so the pressure will be on them. We won't be under any pressure since they have to avoid losing a series to us at home for the second time in succession."

Does that mean Sharma doesn't rate Mendis, who took 24 wickets in his debut three-match Test series to send India packing last year, highly? "It's not that," he says. "No doubt he is a quality bowler. His world record of fastest 50 victims underlines it. But in the ODI series, everyone, from the openers to those lower down the order, faced him with ease. So he will be under pressure to live up to his standards.u00a0

"And to be honest, I am not much bothered about their bowlers. I would like to concentrate on my batting rather than thinking about the bowlers."

The 21-year-old hasn't forgotten last year's one-day series in Sri Lanka, where he could manage only 72 runs from five matches, with 32 being his highest score. But it seems Sharma has learnt his lessons.

"The only thing that I need to look at carefully is that I know I would be batting lower down the order. I haven't batted a lot at such positions," Sharma says.

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"So I have been speaking with players like Dhoni and Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) who have excelled lower down the order over a period of time. It's totally different batting at the position where I would be batting for the Indian team (No 6) and where I am batting right (No 5) now. I would like to work on scoring quickly while batting with the tail.

"A player needs support from the coach. And Gary is always there behind each one of us. Whenever he is working with us, he is constantly encouraging with the words: 'You can do it, you can do it'. And it works."

Though he didn't have an ideal outing in the one-dayers, Sharma admits the experience of being a part of the Test squad in Sri Lanka helped him a lot.u00a0 "Though I didn't play any match, being in Sri Lanka with the Test squad helped me a lot. Being on the bench, I got a lot of time to work on my technique," he says. "I knew that was the only time I could work on my game, considering the long season ahead. Interacting with all the seniors helped immensely. All of them shared their vast experience of international cricket."

And the rewards for the hard work he put in Sri Lanka were evident as Sharma, who was criticised at the start of the season for getting just one century in two first-class seasons, smashed four centuries, including one for the Board President's XI against the visiting Australians.

"Every cricketer takes his own time to start scoring consistently. I am one of those who have taken slightly longer to get their act together.

"But what's important is that at the end of the Ranji season, I have four first-class centuries to my name. Add to it, the one in Challenger Series, and I have five major tons. I will try and maintain the same form in the coming matches."