Geared up for a pitched battle

Skipper Rohit invokes "unfinished business" as India kick off Cup campaign against Australia with hopes to end a 12-year wait

- VIVEK KRISHNAN

India and Australia have played each other six times this year in ODIs. All of them in India. The last of those meetings was just ten days ago. So, whatever happens at Chepauk, there will be very little novelty or surprise in store. And yet, Sunday promises to be different. It can result in a special performance lingering in our memory for long; turn sidekicks into heroes. Simply because it's the ODI World Cup, still the tournament that's the pinnacle of white-ball cricket for most players.

"Yeah, it means a lot. It's a huge honour to be part of this World Cup team, firstly, and then being the captain," India skipper Rohit Sharma said at the pre-match press conference on Saturday. "The 50-over World Cup is the biggest event in cricket.

So, for me, this is the biggest event that I will be part of." Sharma even spoke of "unfinished business", drawing a parallel with Sachin Tendulkar's quest to win the 2011 World Cup at home without mentioning his name. Sharma was a youngster then and wasn't picked in the squad that lifted the trophy under the Mumbai night sky.

Now 36 and in the final phase of his career, he has reached two ODI World Cup semi-finals since without getting over the line.

"Yeah look, you heard the great man say so many times that until he wins the World Cup, he's got a bit of unfinished business. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about. So, it's the same for us as well," he said.