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Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has managed to get starts but hasn’t been able to convert them into big scores in the red-ball format of late. In the last three Tests he has played, he did not score a single half-century. After a 28-run loss in Hyderabad where he registered scores of 24 and 39, India will take on England in Visakhapatnam. The venue will bring back good memories and may give him confidence as well. Rohit has fond memories in Visakhapatnam as he made his opening debut in Test cricket at this venue.
In 2019, then-skipper Virat Kohli and the team management decided to promote Rohit as an opener in the longest format as well. The move paid dividends straight away. Facing a Faf du Plessis-led side, Kohli won the toss and opted to bat first. Rohit opened the innings alongside Mayank Agarwal. He made the Proteas bowlers toil hard in the middle. The openers shared a 317-run partnership. It was in the 82nd over, that Rohit was dismissed. He scored 176 runs from 244 balls featuring 23 fours and six sixes on his opening debut.
After Rohit's 176, Agarwal went on to score 215 as India declared after posting 502/7 on the board. In reply, centuries from Dean Elgar and Quinton de Kock helped the visitors post 431 on the board.
In the second innings, Rohit took a more attacking approach. He shared a 169-run partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara. He scored 127 runs from 149 balls including 10 fours and seven sixes. He helped the hosts post 323/4 before declaring and setting a target of 395 runs.
Rohit shatters records on Test opening debut
Rohit became the first batter to score two centuries in Tests on opening debut. The 'Hitman' also broke Wasim Akram's record for most sixes in a Test match. He smashed 13 sixes in the match. In the end, South Africa were bowled out for 191. India won the game by a massive margin of 203 runs.
Rohit’s phenomenal record as Test opener
After testing Rohit as an opener, Indian team management never looked back. It was only when he got injured it gave the think-tank a headache. He has scored 2,215 runs from 28 Tests as an opener at an average of 50.34. He has seven centuries and six half-centuries in his name at the opening spot. Also, his average is the highest for an Indian Test opener with 1,000 or more runs.
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