India-Zimbabwe series
India need to build up bench strength, says Rohit
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India captain Rohit Sharma has revealed that his side needs to develop their bench strength, which is also one of the main aims of team management.
Sharma said that players like Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah will not be with the team forever and the aim will be to create suitable backups.
"(Jasprit) Bumrah, (Mohammed) Shami and all these guys will not be with the Indian team forever, so you have to try and prepare the other guys. I and Rahul (Dravid) Bhai spoke about how we are going to create our bench strength because that's going to be very crucial considering the amount of cricket we play, considering the injury factors and everything," said Rohit.
The India captain also said that he doesn't want the team to rely on just one or two individuals and wants to create a unit where everyone can contribute.
"We never want to be a team that relies on one or two individuals, we want to be a team where everyone can contribute and help the team win on their own. We want to be that kind of a team and that's why we want to give the youngsters as many opportunities as possible and, of course, you have got senior players around them. They can be of good help,"
Rohit also said that players like Rahul Tripathi and Shahbaz Ahmed are being given good exposure against teams like Zimbabwe and believes that they will grab the opportunity.
"The guys are getting exposure and our aim is to create bench strength, so that's why in Zimbabwe, there are a lot of players who are touring for the first time - be it Shahbaz Ahmed, Rahul Tripathi - and it is a good exposure. They are really talented and will grab the opportunity. It's about getting the confidence at this stage, which I am sure they will learn. Playing for the country matters the most," he added.