This week's multi-million-dollar Indian Premier League auction will not distract India's players from the T20 internationals against the West Indies, captain Rohit Sharma said Tuesday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The big-ticket auction over the weekend saw India's Ishan Kishan fetch top price, with Mumbai Indians securing his services for a whopping $2 million.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Paceman Harshal Patel, who like Kishan is in the India squad taking on West Indies, was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore for over a million dollars.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Other up and coming squad members were also lapped up at eye-popping prices, including Shreyas Iyer ($1.6 million) and Deepak Chahar ($1.8 million).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sharma said he had asked the players to focus on the three-match series beginning at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
They will have gone through "ups and downs" at the auction, he told a virtual press conference ahead of the T20 series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It is an emotional feeling which team you are going to play for and all," he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Yesterday I had a great meeting with the boys, I asked them to focus on the colour blue, which is most important," he added, referring to India's one-day uniform.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"All these guys are professionals, once they are in India colours nothing else matters."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The IPL -- the world's most lucrative cricket tournament -- should not overshadow international commitments, the 34-year-old said, adding they play in the competition for just two months in a year, compared to 10 months for India.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"So I just want to focus on what we do for Team India and that's what matters."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Indian captain sprung to the defence of star batsman Virat Kohli who has been going through a lean patch with the bat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"He is in a great mental space from whatever I see of him. He has been part of this international team for more than a decade.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"If someone has spent that much time in international cricket, they know how to handle the pressure situations, the environment, everything."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He blamed the media for Kohli's performance, telling reporters: "If you guys can keep it quiet for a bit, then everything will fall into place."<\/p>\r\n\r\n