Rohit Sharma was awarded the prestigious Indian Cricketer of the Year at a recent event for his outstanding performance in ODI & T20I cricket for India. An exceptional series against Australia in January 2016 was one such show that Rohit’s fans would recall. It takes time to build yourself as a sportsman in world cricket & there is no better example than our very own Hitman. He spoke on what it takes to counter challenges & what motivates him to keep performing.

“What motivates me is to win matches for my team and keep performing. Having said that, it’s a nice feeling to have won this award and see your performance recognized.”

So what helped him become the formidable batsmen that he is today? “Opening the batting definitely helped me change. The team management believed that I have the technique to handle the new ball. They showed a lot of trust. When you get that, it gives you the motivation too. More than technique, I had to work on the mental aspect of my game. We won the Champions Trophy in my first stint as an opener.”

He also addressed why MI were unable to make it to the playoffs in IPL 9: “We were inconsistent, which cost us. We have to accept the fact that we didn’t play the way that we were expected to. Players need to perform consistently. It is something that we need to focus on next year. Every team needs to play to its strength and the players need to use the conditions to their advantage,” he added.

When the team backs you, it’s a sign of trust and when Ricky Ponting stepped down as captain in 2013, he gave Rohit the responsibility to march the team forward as skipper. The Hitman took this challenge and won us our 1st ever IPL trophy. How is it working with the legendary Ricky Ponting? When asked about Ricky, he said, “He is just like how he played his cricket – focused & stern.”

For MI’s captain, perseverance is everything: “I’ve learnt in eight years that you’ve to take things in your stride and move forward. I back my game and that’s how I approach cricket.”

Another MI player to win at the awards ceremony was Martin Guptill, who was adjudged the ODI Cricketer of the Year. He played 39 ODIs in 2015-16, scoring 5 centuries and averaging over 55. His explosive innings of 237* had helped New Zealand progress to the semi-finals of the 2015 ICC World Cup.

Quotes taken from The Times of India