MSK Prasad Reveals How They Plotted Rohit Sharma's Return To The Test Team

Former Indian chief selector MSK Prasad has opened up on the road to Rohit Sharma’s redemption in Test cricket. Rohit Sharma did not look like being around the Test circles after the 2019 World Cup as India did not pick him for the series in the West Indies. However, KL Rahul’s dip in form meant that the selectors decided to open with Rohit in Tests as well. MSK Prasad has shed light on how the management arrived at the decision.

Rohit Sharma made his debut in Tests as an opener against South Africa and it’s safe to say that it has changed it for the better. The right-handed batsman currently has seven centuries in 38 Tests at 46.7. He also has a double hundred and a best of 212; however, Rohit could face his stiffest challenge in England in the upcoming series on highly swinging conditions.

MSK Prasad revealed that Prithvi Shaw, who started well could not maintain his form or fitness levels, keeping him out of the side. The 46-year old remarked that even though Mayank Agarwal was having a golden run, the second opener’s slot was an issue. Hence, with Shaw’s inconsistencies, they wanted to turn to someone experienced and reliable.

“We played Prithvi Shaw, he started brilliant but then his fitness dipped, his form dipped and for whatever reason he was out of the side. Mayank was there but there was a concern over the second opener and with Prithvi’s inconsistencies, we wanted to go with someone reliable and someone experienced,” Prasad told Cricbuzz.

Given his performance in white ball cricket, we thought why can’t we try him: MSK Prasad

MSK Prasad highlighted that with Priyank Panchal and AR Easwaran enduring a tough outing in the domestic circuit and Rohit Sharma scoring five tons in the 2019 World Cup, they had to think about slotting him back in the Test side. Thus, he recalled debating extensively with Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri about how could they bring him back.

“If someone is getting five centuries in England, of course it is a white ball but he has tightened his technique. After the World Cup, we sat down with Virat and Ravi in England to discuss how we could bring him in to the side. Unfortunately, Priyank Panchal and AR Easwaran had a little tough season. Considering all this we thought we needed one solid guy with experience. Given his performance in white-ball cricket, we thought why can’t we try him. We debated a lot,” he added.

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