India vs South Africa: Will Rohit Sharma succeed as Test opener? Gautam Gambhir has his say
Rohit Sharma will open the innings for India in the three-match Test series against South Africa, starting from Wednesday.
Former India opening batsman Gautam Gambhir believes Rohit Sharma can make a mark as a Test opener in the upcoming Test series against South Africa. Sharma was handed in the opening reigns with KL Rahul getting ruled out from the series owing to poor form. But questions on his abilities as a Test opener surfaced when he was dismissed for a duck in just two balls in the Practice Test. Writing in a column for Times of India, Gambhir said that he is not too bothered by Sharma’s failure in the practice match.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for Rohit Sharma to announce himself as a Test opening batsman. I am not looking too deep into his two-ball duck in the practice game,” he wrote.
Also read: Kohli speaks about Rohit Sharma as Test opener, compares style to Virender Sehwag
The cricketer-turned-politician further went on to describe Sharma as a “makeshift opener” and said that it would be “disastrous” to shuffle Rohit around too much. “Besides, it will be disastrous to shuffle around Rohit if he doesn’t succeed in this series. We should remember that he is a makeshift opening batsman. His success as an opening batsman in white-ball cricket can’t guarantee equally good returns in Test matches,” he said.
Gambhir further wrote that team India should not self-doubt creep in Rohit before he goes out to open the innings. “Trust me, Rohit will have nerves but the Indian team’s dressing room will have to ensure that these nerves don’t get converted into self-doubt. I can tell you from experience that it is a terrible space to be in,” he wrote.
Also read: ‘Needed to get better,’ Du Plessis has learnt his lessons from 2015 tour
Earlier, India skipper Virat Kohli also threw his weight behind the right-hander as he believes the Mumbai-batsman needs to be given space and time to excel in the role.
“...if he comes into his own then the whole batting order looks a completely different batting order anywhere in the world,” added the skipper. Asked if the management is thinking of giving Rohit at least five to six Tests, Kohli said: “We are not looking to rush him. There is a different pattern you follow in India and different abroad. Opening is a spot where you have to give a player space to understand his own game,” Kohli said ahead of the match.
