That Rohit Sharma is a limited-overs legend is beyond doubt. His numbers speak for itself. The only player in the history of the game to smash three ODI double hundreds, Rohit also created a World Cup record when he hit five hundreds in a single edition last year. He also has an unbelievable four T20I hundreds to his name. Few batsmen have made the kind of impact at the top order as Rohit has since moving to the opening slot. Following his World Cup exploits, he was given a chance to resurrect his Test career and responded by smashing a hundred in each innings in his first outing as an opener. Rohit’s success since his Test comeback has drawn constant comparisons with the swashbuckling Virender Sehwag, who was also moved up from the middle-order. So, can Rohit be India’s next Sehwag?
Tough act to follow
While Rohit has all the shots in the book to succeed in the longer format of the game, his true test as opener will be when he plays away from home in challenging conditions. Rohit smashed two hundreds and a double hundred in the series played in India against the Proteas. There were high hopes from him when the team headed to New Zealand. However, he did not get a chance to prove his mettle as he got injured before the Test series against the Kiwis. Now, Rohit will have to wait until the Test matches Down Under to demonstrate his prowess as a Test opener.
Rohit’s elevation to the top has taken place under similar circumstances to Sehwag. Both were exceptionally talented to stay out of the action for long. To his credit, Sehwag displayed his worth in varying conditions across the globe even as there were constant question marks over his technique. In his very first series as an opener in England (2002), he smashed a century at Nottingham and followed it with the famous 195 at Melbourne during the 2003 Boxing Day Test. This is something Rohit will need to emulate. As of now, his record in Tests away from home is abysmal. In 18 away Tests, he averages merely 26.32. At the top of the order, he will have to negotiate variable conditions in different countries. How he responds to the challenge will determine his success as a Test opener.
Test of technique and temperament
There is a reason why Test cricket is called so. It is the ultimate examination of a cricketer’s skills. If we talk of Rohit, his aggressive batting is his greatest strength. But, it remains to be seen how he plays out the tough periods at the start of an innings in countries like Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, where the ball does a lot, and the opposition bowlers are of the top drawer. His style of play is in the mold of Sehwag without a doubt. However, without being too critical of Sehwag, his numbers prove that he wasn’t as consistent in SENA countries as he was at home and in the Asian sub-continent.
Both of Sehwag’s triple hundreds came in Asia. In fact, his top six Test scores were all registered in sub-continent conditions. His highest in SENA nations remained the 195 at Melbourne. Sehwag’s lack of technique proved to be his undoing a number of times when the ball moved around. Similarly, with Rohit, his footwork too will be challenged when he plays against top teams away from home. The 33-year-old has a tendency to be laid-back at times during his stroke-making. And while he makes up for it with his genuine batting talent in the shorter formats, Rohit would constantly need to be on his toes when it comes to Test cricket. There is no doubt Rohit has the ability to do a Sehwag in Tests. Whether he can translate the potential into the performance we will only know in times to come.
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