Intro:

India prepare for an intense battle against Australia in Sydney on Thursday (March 26) in the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup.

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English): Rohit Sharma, India

(on whether angry words will be exchanged)

"See, as a team I believe we need to stick to our game plans, which is coming hard. If there is a little bit of banter going around, so be it. But there will be times where you will see our bowlers, fielders getting right in their faces. So, yeah, but there will be times. But as a team we have to stick to our game plans and try and execute what we've been doing for the last seven games."

SOUNDBITE (English): Rohit Sharma, India

(on whether there would be any scarring from the previous defeats to Australia)

"No, I don't think it matters because we're playing some different cricket now. So what has happened has happened, we have left right there. We never want it to carry into the World Cup. We always spoke about this. We know how important the World Cup is, and we have actually come out and played really well and played some good cricket. So we just want to continue, (it's) just a matter of two more hurdles."

SOUNDBITE (English): Rohit Sharma, India

(on India's bowling in the World Cup)

"See, it all depends on the wicket, how it is. Of course, if you look at the history of SCG it gives a lot of turn to the spin bowlers and spinners have actually come out and bowled really well there. If you see the Test matches also here we've played against Australia, spinners played a huge part. So I feel if it does (turn), we've got the spinners to do it."

SOUNDBITE (English): Rohit Sharma, India

(on his batting as an opener)

"Certainly batting up the order has changed my game, my approach towards the game and the responsibility. I know if I'm batting top of the order there is a huge responsibility and I have to take my team through. So every time I go to bat I always think about that. Doesn't matter if I come on top or not, but at least I do that. So, yes, I've really enjoyed the last couple of years of batting top of the order."