We made lot of effort to make superstar players: MI's Rohit Sharma

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 24 (ANI): Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma has said that the team scouts for talent and invests in its players to help them become "superstars".
Mumbai Indians are five-time IPL champions. Rohit lauded the entire effort in scouting for new or lesser-known talent and nurturing players into stars.
"Mumbai Indians is a 'Superstar Team' because the franchise puts in the efforts to make it so. We made a lot of effort to make the superstar team and superstar players. We turn these players into superstars. Our scouts really work hard. Scouts saw Hardik, Krunal, Bumrah and Axar and brought them here. We turned them into stars. It took a lot of hard work. We have made the maximum use of these players," Rohit said on JioCinema ahead of his side's eliminator match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Chennai.
"It is very easy for people to say that it is a superstar team, but there is a lot of hard work goes behind it. A lot of appreciation has to go to the scouts. Players are taught to be the best versions of themselves. They go out and do it," he added.
Mumbai Indians have given players like Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan, Krunal Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel to the Indian team.
Rohit said MI could have bought some star players during the auctions, but went ahead with new talent.
"All the superstars were available in the auction, the franchise made lots of efforts then scouts for Bumrah, Axar, Krunal & Hardik - our coaches and scouts deserve more credit, I am not saying I am the soul of everything but there is lots of effort happening," he said.
"Mumbai Indians is about giving opportunities to youngsters. So many players have gone on to play for India. Scouts work hard during the off-season while spotting talent," he added.
Rohit said that he always takes out time to talk to youngsters and wants them to approach him if they face any issues with their game.
"I always talk to every youngster and discuss things... relationship and bonding with players is the most important. They also come to me to talk and discuss and I am always ready for it. I want youngsters in the team to approach me with any of their issues
"You have to back your players. If players have that capability and then the backing and support for players are the most important. You just say to the players 'You're my match winner, and don't worry you will play all matches, you just enjoy,'" he said.
MI ended the league stage with eight wins, six losses and 16 points to their name and at the fourth spot in the points table. If they lose this eliminator against LSG, they will be eliminated from the competition. If they win, they will play Gujarat Titans in Qualifier Two, which will decide the team which will lock horns with Chennai Super Kings in the final on May 28.
Lucknow Super Giants Squad: Quinton de Kock(w), Karan Sharma, Prerak Mankad, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya(c), Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Krishnappa Gowtham, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan, Yash Thakur, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra, Karun Nair, Manan Vohra, Mark Wood, Avesh Khan, Swapnil Singh, Romario Shepherd, Arpit Guleria, Suryansh Shedge
Mumbai Indians Squad: Ishan Kishan(w), Rohit Sharma(c), Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav, Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Chris Jordan, Piyush Chawla, Kumar Kartikeya, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Vishnu Vinod, Tilak Varma, Ramandeep Singh, Tristan Stubbs, Sandeep Warrier, Riley Meredith, Shams Mulani, Arjun Tendulkar, Hrithik Shokeen, Duan Jansen, Arshad Khan, Dewald Brevis, Raghav Goyal. (ANI)