Rohit Sharma Starts Terribly As Test Opener, Falls For Duck

All eyes will be on Rohit Sharma when India take on South Africa in the upcoming three-match Test series. The series will see the beginning of Rohit Sharma’s career as a Test opener. After making his Test debut in 2013, Rohit Sharma has only batted in the middle-order and is yet to cement his spot in the playing eleven.

But he will have a chance to finally put his Test career on track when he opens the innings alongside Mayank Agarwal. With KL Rahul out of form, India dropped him and have pinned their faith in the limited-overs vice-captain. A good outing against the Proteas will pretty much seal Rohit Sharma’s place in the team.

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In India’s last Test series which was in South Africa, the Mumbai star could not play in any of the two games as the team preferred Hanuma Vihari. And the Andhra batsman made the most of the opportunity by scoring two fifties and a century in four innings. Ajinkya Rahane also regained his form and thus Rohit would have struggled to break into the team against South Africa.

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Thus the team-management has decided to try him out as an opener and it will all depend on Rohit now. Rohit is not new to being asked to open the innings after starting his career as a middle-order batsman. In limited-overs cricket too, he was a middle-order batsman before being asked to open. The decision turned out to be a masterstroke as Rohit is now one of the best openers in the history of ODIs and T20Is.

The team-management will be hoping to see Rohit replicate that in Tests too. However, Rohit has started on a dismal note. In the ongoing practise game between South Africa and Indian Board President’s XI, he opened the innings but was out for a duck. He lasted just two balls as Vernon Philander sent him back.

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Earlier in the game, the visitors rode on Aiden Markram’s fine ton to score 279 for 6 before declaring their innings.