When it comes to the limited overs formats, it seems like there is no stopping Rohit Sharma. On India’s recent tour to Australia, Rohit piled on 441 runs in five ODIs and 143 in the three-match T20I series. Back home to take on Sri Lanka in the shortest format, the series started with a naught in the first T20I for the Indian opener, but he quickly rectified it in Ranchi. Rohit’s 43 off 36 balls was in equal measure sensible and sparkling. He played the second fiddle in a 75-run opening partnership with a charged up Shikhar Dhawan, who blasted a 25-ball 51. Once Shikhar got out, Rohit kept going with Ajinkya Rahane to not only guard against the domino effect of wickets but also ensure the run-rate doesn’t plummet. There is a sense of calm, clarity and confidence in Rohit’s batting these days. And his maturity as a batsman shines through in his words. Rohit’s chat with BCCI.TV after India’s 69-run win over Sri Lanka in the second T20I in Ranchi is a case in point. Here are the excerpts. In Ranchi you proved that the Pune match was just a glitch. It was. We were quite disappointed with the way we batted in the first T20I. We should have done more with the bat. But games like that come, and you have to learn quickly from your mistakes. It was just one of those days where nothing clicked for us. The only positive was our bowling. Our bowlers put on a very good fight and made that 101 look like a competent score. That was a game we wanted to forget as soon as possible. Coming here to Ranchi we wanted to prove a point, and we did. We played as a team; everyone contributed with the bat and we bowled really well. No matter how many runs you score, you have to get the opposition out for under that score. And our bowlers did a fantastic job. What did Shikhar have for lunch today? He was on fire. He certainly was. He was batting really well. He gave us a little pep talk in the huddle before the game, and that, I think got him going. He spoke to us in his Punjabi style, which he does really well. You need to have a little fun in the team, and he brings that to the table. It is good to see him bat like that as his form is very important for us. The start that he gave set things up nicely for the middle order batsmen to play their game. The pitch was good to bat on initially but in the middle overs it started to stop a bit and kept low. So, it was important to get good first six overs, and Shikhar and I had spoken about it while going in to bat. We were in a very good position after the first six overs, and from there on we just wanted to keep the momentum going. I thought 197 on that wicket was a very good effort. When your partner is batting like that, you obviously take a back seat. But when he gets out, how tough is it to change gear immediately? It is very important. That is one thing I have learnt over the years; to understand the situation of the game and adapt accordingly. Shikhar was the one taking the charge and my job was just to give him as many balls to face as possible. Once he got out, my job was not over. Ajinkya and I wanted to get a partnership going and keep scoring seven-eight runs an over. When you have a couple of low scoring overs, it is very difficult for the new batsman to score runs. On wickets like this one it is important for a set batsman to bat as long as possible. This is what I have learnt over the years opening the batting. The way you are batting right now, is this what you call zone? What do you feel when you are in such form? I don’t want to think that I am in the form of my life. I just want to continue doing the same. When you have got something going for you, you hold on to it and keep looking forward. Every game I play, I leave it behind me. I try to start every match afresh. My job is not over; we go to Vizag from here with the series still one-all, and there is a lot of cricket coming up after that. When you are in good form, it is your responsibility to make the most of it because your team needs that form. You have captained both Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah in the IPL. How do you assess their growth from since you first saw them? You can see it for yourself. The way Bumrah came in today (Ranchi T20I) and bowled those fantastic yorkers at the death, and Hardik playing that important cameo of 27 runs in 12 balls – that momentum was really important for us. I think they are growing as cricketers, which is always good to see. They started off with Mumbai Indians, now they are playing for India and here they have different roles, responsibilities and challenges. I just hope that they carry on and focus on the road ahead. They cannot afford to get too excited, and I am sure they know it. I can see a lot of potential in them, and I am happy to see that they are delivering it.