Indian team is on a winning spree in the reign of newly recruited all-format captain Rohit Sharma. Ranging from New Zealand to West Indies and now Sri Lanka, Rohit & Co. has mastered the art of series sweep. But there is something which has caught former India selector Sab Karim's eyes and that is Rohit's form. Right ahead of the second Test match against Sri Lanka at Chinnaswamy stadium on Saturday, which is going to be a Day-Night one, Saba wants the 33-year-old to elevate his game and add value with the bat.
Spearheaded by the newly recruited Test skipper Rohit, India bossed over Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs inside three days in the opening match against Mohali. The hosts are favourites to continue their unbeaten streak, having never lost to Sri Lanka at home. Rohit scored 44, 1 and 5 in the T20I assignment against Sri Lanka and perished for 29 in the Test series opener at Mohali.
“It will be very important for Rohit Sharma to perform with the bat. He has led very well but you become a good or a great captain with the support of the team. He needs to contribute personally as well and keep adding value to the team. So yes, the next Test will be a challenge for him," Karim said on the Khelneeti podcast.
The former India wicketkeeper also weighed in on Mayank Agarwal's position at the top, saying the batter has scored "plenty of runs" in Indian conditions. He predicted India will go with the same opening combination in Bengaluru.
“Expect India to go in with the same opening combination. Why would you want to change things after just one Test match? Mayank has scored plenty of runs in Indian conditions. He wasn’t struggling in the previous Test. But yes, he will need to convert his starts into big scores,” Karim further added.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) on Thursday (March 10) allowed 100 percent crowd attendance for the second India-Sri Lanka Test, which will be a pink ball game and scheduled to be played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, starting in Bengaluru on Saturday. As the action shifts to Bengaluru for the pink-ball game the focus remains on Virat Kohli, who has been chasing an elusive international hundred for 28 months now. Last time Virat smashed a century was in a Test match against Bangladesh back in 2019. Indian skipper Virat Kohli scored his last International ton (70th century) as India won the match by an innings and 46 runs. Since then the century drought is going on and King Kohli would be eager to break the shackles and scored one more ton in Day-Night Test.
