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Bangalore: Double centurion Rohit Sharma today said the new rule of five fielders inside the circle helped him to go for the coveted landmark as India clinched the seven-match ODI series against Australia 3-2 with an easy win here.
"I was really not looking for it (200). That's how I play my innings. If you look at my innings in Jaipur, I took time to build my innings and that's my gameplan. But when I was batting in 180s, I went for it. The new rule of five fielders inside the circle helped me score freely," he told reporters at the post-match press conference.
In the course of his hurricane 209-run innings, Sharma became the record-holder for most sixes in a match, crossed 1000 runs this year besides breaching the 3000-runs mark in his ODI career. He samshed a staggering 16 sixes.
Rohit said captaining Mumbai Indians in the IPL has made a big difference in his batting style and also playing as opener in England helped him understand the importance of laying a good foundation for making things easy for middle- order batsmen.
On James Faulkner's innings of 116, Rohit said the Tasmanian played a wonderful knock and nearly took the game away from India. The Indians did not take him lightly after they had a glimpse of his batting at Mohali, he added.
Replying to a question, Rohit said he would prefer to play as a middle-order batsman in the upcoming West Indies Test series.
"Since I have been picked by the selectors as a middle- order batsman, I will play in that position. But I do not know what is in store for the future," he added.
Asked if playing in Tests was his ultimate goal, Rohit said he has been waiting for it for the past six years. "If I put up a good show I will be the most happiest person in the world," he said.
On the spat between Virat Kohli and Shane Watson and Ravindra Jadeja and Faulkner, Rohit said it happens in a hard-fought battle.
