New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) Outlining his long-term ambition to feature in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027, senior India opener Rohit Sharma says his strategy revolves around staying strictly in the present, keeping fit, and performing consistently in every immediate assignment rather than looking too far ahead.

Rohit made a vintage 101 at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati, as India chased down a massive 406 against the West Indies. He also shared an opening stand of 255 runs with captain Shubman Gill, who hit an unbeaten 223. Another superb performance from Rohit Sharma will be expected when the third ODI takes place in New Chandigarh on Saturday.

"What I want to manifest is that I keep myself capable enough until 2027, so I keep myself fit, keep working hard, and keep performing well in every tournament that comes up. This is what I need to think about, and this is what I need to do. So, I think my immediate goal is that whatever is in front of me right now, I do that properly," Rohit told JioStar in an interaction.

“Because thinking about next October right now is not going to help me play my game. What will help me is to stay in the present, keep ticking every box that comes my way, and then keep moving forward. In life, I've progressed step by step like this, so right now I have to do the same.

“So basically, what I mean is that I don't need to change anything. The way my journey has been so far, I want to keep driving it the same way. Keep working hard on my batting, keep working hard on my fitness, help the boys in the team, give input wherever it's needed, that's all," he added.

Assessing Gill's transition into the captaincy role over the past year, Rohit urged critics to give the youngster time while praising his clarity of thought on the field. "Shubman Gill has a great cricketing brain, no doubt about that. He has been captaining for about a year now, so it is unfair to judge him as a captain so early.

“But from what I have seen, he has been impressive. He is very clear about what he wants. That is the most important thing a captain should have. If the captain is clear, the players around him will also be clear. That is what I see with Shubman.

“He knows what he wants and is moving in the right direction. Of course, any captain needs the support of the players and the staff around him. I am sure that in whatever way I can help him, I will do that," he added.

Rohit stressed that taking a backseat from the leadership role does not mean stepping away from guiding the team, adding that his dynamic with Gill remains unchanged. "Shubman is the captain, but that does not mean I stay away from him or talk less with him. Ever since he made his debut, we have been moving in the same direction.

“That is how it should be, and it should not change for any reason. He needs the confidence of the team, knowing that everyone is moving together. Our job is to support him and take the team forward," he added.

Having experienced the high of lifting World Cups twice in his career -- as a 20-year-old in the 2007 T20 World Cup and as captain in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Rohit stated that the feeling of winning a global trophy for India remains unmatched.

"It'll be great to win the upcoming ODI World Cup; that's all I'll say. I wouldn't think about full circle and all that now. Winning a World Cup for India is a special feeling. I have experienced that twice in the T20 format. In 2007, I was just a young kid of 20 years. Of course, it's a big tournament; you've won a World Cup in your first year, it's great.

"Then we won the Champions Trophy in 2013, and after that there was a long period, almost for 11 years, where we couldn't win an ICC title. So that's why, when we won the T20 World Cup in 2024, there was a realisation of how important it was. So that feeling is still inside to a great extent.

“So, I know what winning a World Cup feels like. So that's why I want that feeling back. The fun we had, you can’t describe what that feeling is, because you can't match that. That's why winning that World Cup is very important to me, because I want to feel that feeling again, which we felt recently," he concluded.

Watch Follow the Blues exclusive ‘Bindass Rohit’ on JioHotstar and on Star Sports Network.

--IANS

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