Rohit Sharma has opened for India in 23 Test innings since being promoted to top of the batting order. Eight of them have come overseas. And in four such innings, India have managed a fifty-plus opening stand which includes the record-scripting 126-run stand at Lord’s against England.
For long, have India struggled to find the perfect opening option for overseas Tests and Rohit has answered back to show he perfectly fits the role. Following his 83 in the first innings at Lord’s which was part of the century stand alongside KL Rahul, former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar opined that Rohit has gone a “notch higher” as a batsman.
“(From) whatever I have seen, I feel, he has taken the lead and he has shown the other side of his temperament and how he can change his game and adapt to situation and play accordingly. He has been a leader there and KL (Rahul) has supported him brilliantly,” Tendulkar told PTI.
Speaking about his tendency to play the hook and pull which is leading to his dismissal, Sachin said, “As far as playing pull shot is concerned (which got him out in the first innings at Lord’s), he has cleared the fence with that shot and I am looking at what he has been able to achieve for the team in both Tests. Rohit has left the ball and defended the ball brilliantly or equally well. He was always a fantastic player but seeing his last few innings in England, I can say he has definitely gone a notch higher.”
Sachin also spoke about captain Virat Kohli’s dry sell of runs. “It is the mind that leads to technical errors and if the start isn’t good you start thinking about a lot of things. Because anxiety levels are high you tend to over compensate your movements. When a batsman isn’t in good form you either go too far across or don’t move your feet at all. That happens to everyone. Form is also your state of mind along with the body working in harmony,” he said.
