Tense faces around but players know their roles: Rohit Sharma 'relaxed' ahead of World Cup final against AUS

Captain Rohit Sharma takes pride in wearing the Indian jersey regardless of the opposition and the occasion. Ahead of the grandest event in cricket – the World Cup 2023 final between India and Australia in Ahmedabad on Sunday, Rohit feels he and his team are prepared and ready for the marquee clash despite various emotions running wild in the dressing room.

Addressing the media on the eve of the World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Rohit said he wants his team to continue playing the way they have and thrashed opponents thus far. Adding that an enormous amount of hard work has gone into winning ten matches on the trot in this competition, Rohit remains honest about his feelings about playing the daddy game. 

"We just want to go out there, keep it nice and easy, and calm. I had said then, 'Yeah it'll be nice to win'. In the same tone, I want to say it again: it'll be nice to win, [and] we've worked really hard. But I don't want to get too excited and feel much pressure about it,” Rohit said. 

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Revealing how the dressing room atmosphere has been in the lead-up to this contest, Rohit said while some players are relaxed in their approach, others have looked tensed – defining it as the beauty of sport. 

"It's not just me, I can sense that from every other player in the changing room," he said. "There's laughter going around; there are a few tense faces as well. I'm not going to hide it. But that's why this sport is so exciting - you see different kinds of emotions. When it's game time, guys are well aware of what needs to be done. I don't need to specifically tell them things like, 'It's time to get the job done'.

'There is pressure, there is expectation'

The India captain feels confident about his team, saying while some players haven’t appeared in any World Cup final before, all are professional enough to take this as any other World Cup game. 

"The guys are experienced. Yes, not many have played the [World Cup] final, but playing for India is as good as playing in any World Cup game. There's so much pressure, so much expectation. 

People keep telling you - do this, do that, score 200, take five wickets. It's in your head all the time. These days the guys have their headphones on to keep the noise out (laughs). But yeah, it's nice - we've enjoyed the journey thoroughly, [with] just one final push now," he added.

India and Australia have reached their fourth and eighth World Cup finals, respectively.