IND v WI: IPL Auction Is Not A Distraction From The Series, Says Rohit Sharma

This week's multi-million-dollar Indian Premier League auction will not distract India's players from the T20 internationals against the West Indies, captain Rohit Sharma said Tuesday. The big

This week's multi-million-dollar Indian Premier League auction will not distract India's players from the T20 internationals against the West Indies, captain Rohit Sharma said Tuesday.

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The big-ticket auction over the weekend saw India's Ishan Kishan fetch top price, with Mumbai Indians securing his services for a whopping $2 million.

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Paceman Harshal Patel, who like Kishan is in the India squad taking on West Indies, was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore for over a million dollars.

Other up and coming squad members were also lapped up at eye-popping prices, including Shreyas Iyer ($1.6 million) and Deepak Chahar ($1.8 million).

Sharma said he had asked the players to focus on the three-match series beginning at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday.

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They will have gone through "ups and downs" at the auction, he told a virtual press conference ahead of the T20 series.

"It is an emotional feeling which team you are going to play for and all," he said.

"Yesterday I had a great meeting with the boys, I asked them to focus on the colour blue, which is most important," he added, referring to India's one-day uniform.

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"All these guys are professionals, once they are in India colours nothing else matters."

The IPL -- the world's most lucrative cricket tournament -- should not overshadow international commitments, the 34-year-old said, adding they play in the competition for just two months in a year, compared to 10 months for India.

"So I just want to focus on what we do for Team India and that's what matters."

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The Indian captain sprung to the defence of star batsman Virat Kohli who has been going through a lean patch with the bat.

"He is in a great mental space from whatever I see of him. He has been part of this international team for more than a decade.

"If someone has spent that much time in international cricket, they know how to handle the pressure situations, the environment, everything."

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He blamed the media for Kohli's performance, telling reporters: "If you guys can keep it quiet for a bit, then everything will fall into place."

The second T20 will be played on Friday followed by the third and final game on Sunday.
 

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