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Sharma fills Sachin's shoes as Mumbai prepare for IPL title defence

Sharma fills Sachin's shoes as Mumbai prepare for IPL title defence

Sachin Tendulkar may not be at the crease anymore, but all eyes will be on defending champions Mumbai Indians as they start their IPL campaign against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Leading their title defence is captain Rohit Sharma, who was at the helm when they won the title last year beating Chennai Super Kings in the final.

It has been an excellent 12 months for Sharma, who has amassed 2,025 runs from 48 matches across all three formats – the second most by an Indian behind Virat Kohli.

That included an ODI double century against Australia and finishing as the second-highest run getter (in the Super 10 stage) at the World T20, which India lost to Sri Lanka.

Now a regular member of the Indian national side, Sharma is keen to make the most of his great run of form and power Mumbai to another successful campaign.

“I am honoured to be a part of the squad. I would like to thank the management for showing faith in me. We had a memorable season last year winning the IPL and the Champions League. This year it’s going to be a challenge, setting the standards we have. We have to be at our best as the expectations will be high,” Sharma told Sport360º at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

“We don’t want to put too much pressure on us but the expectations will be high as we played very good cricket last year and people expect a lot more from us. I have always said we are a champion team, which means we have to repeat (the performance) again and again.”

What should help Sharma and his team in meeting their high standards is the presence of Tendulkar, who has been named the team’s ‘icon’. It will be a special association for Sharma, as Tendulkar has guided him since a very early age.

He added: “Sachin has been a mentor for me personally, guiding me throughout my career. It’s good he is back with us, as he has got a lot of memory with Mumbai Indians.

“He is the senior most member, along with Harbhajan Singh and (Lasith) Malinga, because they have been with the team since day one. It’s good news for us and it will boost the morale of the team seeing him in the dressing room.”

The focus will be on his star-studded team, which has proven performers like Malinga, Kieron Pollard and has added T20 powerhouses like Mike Hussey and Corey Anderson to their roster. But Sharma knows his leadership will also be assessed.

“It has been a wonderful last year. As a sportsman, nobody wants to relax. I just want to keep continuing what I have been doing. And it’s going to be good for me and the teams I play for. I want to contribute whichever way I can and win the championship.”

One player he is particularly happy to have by his side is new recruit Hussey, who will be seen for the first time in the IPL in a non-Chennai Super Kings jersey.

“I can’t say much about Hussey. We all know what he has done. I really look forward to his experience and what he brings to the table will be very important to us,” he said.

“I am sure he played a very vital role in terms of where CSK ended up in the first six years. I hope he will deliver for us even now.”

The Mumbai Indians, like most teams, are trying their best to get acquainted with the conditions in the UAE quickly and Sharma said it might take some time to get their bearings right.

“The first couple of games are important as this is a new squad, we want to see what is the right combination,” he added. “All teams have come here early to prepare. This is going to be slightly different conditions compared to what we are used to in India. We have to adjust as soon as possible as there isn’t much time left before the first match.”


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