Rohit Sharma wants to "shut out" the external pressure and the weight of expectation that come with captaining the host nation in a World Cup. When the tournament last came to India in 2011, Rohit endured a "heartbreak" as he didn't make the final squad of 15. Twelve years on, it is possible this could be Rohit's last shot at World Cup glory.
"For me, it is important how I keep myself relaxed and not worry about external factors that play a role, whether positively or not negatively," Rohit told PTI in a recent interview. "I want to shut out everything. I want to get into the phase I was in before the 2019 World Cup. I was in a great frame of mind and prepared really well for the tournament."
Rohit topped the runs chart, scoring 648 runs and five hundreds in the tournament. He credits much of that success to his mindset at the time, and is trying to recreate something similar as he prepares for the 2023 edition.
"I was in good shape, good mindset," he said. "I want to bring that back and I have time to do that. Trying to recollect what were the right things that I was doing before the 2019 World Cup as a cricketer and as a person. I want to revisit that thought process of mine."
Captains are often asked about legacies ahead of a World Cup. Rohit, too, was asked about it. There's no doubt he would go down as one of India's best ODI openers, but what about captaincy? Rohit is a successful IPL captain, having led Mumbai Indians to five titles, but is yet to win a silverware at an ICC tournament. Rohit, though, thinks differently.
"I am not the person who thinks about what kind of legacy I will leave behind," he said. "My legacy will be for people to judge and talk about, not for me to say. I am not a firm believer in numbers. You should be happy and enjoy the time you have in front of you and try to live in that moment."
Rohit's immediate challenge as captain will be to do well at the Asia Cup. At some stage over the next week or so, he will also be part of the meeting to select the World Cup squad. Rohit stressed on giving players clarity about where they stand as India build towards the tournament.
"While picking the best combination, there will be guys who will miss out for various reasons and Rahul bhai [Dravid] and I have tried our best to explain to the players why they are not in the squad," he said. "We have tried to communicate with the players after every selection and playing XI that has been announced. We talk to them face-to-face, one-on-one why they have not been picked.
"Sometimes I try to put myself in their shoes. When I wasn't picked in 2011, it was such a heart-breaking moment for me and I felt what's left after being dropped from a World Cup squad. If anyone misses out, there is a reason for it. If you are the unlucky one, we can do nothing."
How did he deal with his own exclusion in 2011?
"I was sad and sitting in my room, and didn't know what to do next," Rohit recalled. "I remember Yuvi [Yuvraj Singh] calling me to his room and taking me out for dinner. He explained to me how it feels when you are left out. He told me, 'The best thing is that you have so many years in front of you. As we play in the World Cup, you take this chance to work hard on your game, skills and make a comeback. There is no way that you won't play for India or not get a chance to play in the World Cup.'
"I went back to the drawing board, worked hard and immediately after the World Cup, I made a comeback, and it has been good since then. Since this is me, who has gone through this emotion, no one can tell me that it's easier said than done. I have faced exclusion from a World Cup squad, and I know how it exactly feels."
In saying so, Rohit also admitted there is always a risk of things backfiring too with certain selection calls but insisted things were done keeping in mind the team's best interests.
"Me, coaches and selectors take into account all factors, such as opposition, surfaces, our strengths, their weaknesses, and then reach a common ground," he said. "There is every chance that we will not be perfect always. At the end of the day, a few individuals make decisions, and we are bound to make mistakes as humans. We won't always be right."
India conclude their six-day Asia Cup camp in Bengaluru on August 29. They will then fly out to Sri Lanka where they take on Pakistan on September 2. India won the Asia Cup the last time it was held in a 50-over format, in 2018. In that sense, India have a title of sorts to defend. For Rohit, though, the goals are very different.
"For me, it's all about creating memories and creating a good rapport with my team-mates. Be happy in whatever you get and whatever you have."