Rohit promises to be a good boy

Rohit Sharma has 'dangerous' company in the Deccan Chargers' line-up, but he promises to be a good boy

Rohit promises to be a good boy

Rohit Sharma has 'dangerous' company in the Deccan Chargers' line-up, but he promises to be a good boy

Rohit Sharma

He has been in peerless form for the southern team, being their highest scorer last season and has begun this season equally impressively, starring in the first game against Kolkata Knight Riders with an unbeaten 36.

He is one of the best young batting talents to emerge and his well-wishers back home have good reason to be concerned about the influence some of his Deccan teammates might have on him.

Among Deccan's star foreign recruits are Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Symonds (expected to join the team in the second half), Scott Styris all notorious for their nightlife.

Mentally strong
"It's not like, they will spoil me. I also know what is good or bad. I have also seen quite a bit of nightlife and have seen a lot of cricketers whose cricket careers have been ruined because of it. Basically, I have to remain mentally strong to see through all these things. Everyone has his own life, they (Gibbs & Co) like to enjoy, let them enjoy it. It's not that I don't enjoy. I also do, but I'm aware of the limits uske aage nahi janeka (will not cross the limit).

"They enjoy their life but never force anybody, that 'chal, hum log ke saath chal' (c'mon, come with us). And, I don't think they will do anything like it this time too," Sharma told MiD DAY yesterday.

"Last year, we enjoyed a lot in Hyderabad, but it did not affect our game in any way. My cricket was going well. We will have some fun here too, but I know when and how much you can do it, and not to cross the limit," the stylish middle-order bat added.

Winning start
South African cricket's naughty boy Gibbs is the local Cape Town hero and has a reputation of being a party animal. So how did they celebrate after the two shared a match-winning 69-run unfinished partnership in the first game on Saturday night? "It was only the first game. There are still lot of days left, we will do (party) it aaram se," said Sharma.

Given his boyish looks and the way he has started with a bang here, it looks like Sharma will have a lot of attention from the fairer sex to deal with. He is already a hit with the South African girls after his exploits in the ICC World Twenty20 Cup in 2007 when following his sensational debut against the home team at Durban, girls with placards 'Rohit, marry me' started showing up in the stands.

When asked about it, Sharma said, "That was in Durban. When I got to Durban will see how it is this time," the Deccan Chargers' star batsman said light-heartedly.

Would all this be cause for worry for his girlfriend back home? "I don't have a girlfriend. I am still single so I have no worries on that front," he laughed.

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