AFTER ASHWIN, WHO? THE LAST OF OGS IN FINAL STRETCH

Post offie's retirement, focus is on senior players like Rohit, Kohli and India's transition phase

- GOMESH S

OHIT SHARMA had just realised what he had done. "Aap mere ko marwaoge yaar (You all are going to get me killed)," laughed Sharma, who was visibly drained and emotional, sitting at the press conference hall at the Gabba on Wednesday evening.

Sharma had been there for a little over 15 minutes by now. He sat next to R Ashwin, and watched his long-time teammate and friend call it a day before taking questions. Much like those who had been at the other end of the microphone, Sharma too seemed to be processing Ashwin's retirement even as he started to answer questions posed by the media. There were visible signs of emotion as well. While talking about not having Ashwin around, along with Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, Sharma got lost in the moment briefly. The way he went about answering questions about the India cricketers that it could well have been misconstrued as the two had played their last matches. "When you've played so much together and shared so many memories, and you see one by one these guys are not in the team you do feel their presence somewhere. But what can you do?" he said before realising where it was going. He paused, clarified that Rahane and Pujara hadn't retired.

"You mentioned all three names, that's why I am clarifying," Sharma said with a smile, covering his face in embarrassment. He would shake his head before looking up and saying that he meant they aren't here now but would come back in future. Sharma then glanced at the media manager to his left, murmured "Jesus, got me killed man," in disbelief, leading to another laughter in what had been an intense press conference.