Rohit Sharma is set to lead the Indian team in whites once again as they prepare to take on England in a five-match Test series at home. Former Indian cricketer, Zaheer Khan believes that Rohit would have a big role to play in the upcoming series.
Speaking to Star Sports, the former Indian cricketer talked about how Rohit has been able to master the longest format after his return to whites in 2019 and has been able to perform well.
READ MORE: ‘Natural Leader’: Allan Donald Backs Aiden Markram to Captain South Africa Across Formats
Zaheer said, “Since the time Rohit has been an opener in Tests, he’s scored some brilliant hundreds in the toughest of conditions. You’ve seen him adapt nicely in England when it came to leaving the ball. He said that he had worked a lot on it.”
Zaheer Khan also recalled his knock against England in Chennai where Rohit managed to score 161 runs in the first innings during England’s previous tour of India. He added,”You’ve seen that in Chennai when he played a match-defining knock. Winning the toss, batting first, getting the opposition completely out in the first innings and being instrumental in that is something which gives satisfaction to any player, playing at the highest level.”.
The upcoming series will also be Rohit Sharma’s first five-match Test series as a captain as well. Zaheer Khan believes that there are a couple of things that the skipper and the coach will be looking to work on in what is going to be a long and gruesome battle. He said, “It’s a five-Test series so there’ll be a lot on his mind, not just as a batter but also as a leader. He has to work it out with Rahul Dravid and the selectors to see how he can rotate players. Both teams will be looking to do that because a five-Test series brings its challenges and you got to stay on top of that tactically, planning about the resources who are more useful in which conditions and get the maximum impact from every individual.”
READ MORE: Virat Kohli Pulls Out of First Two Tests Against England Citing Personal Reasons
However, Zaheer Khan has backed Rohit Sharma as the skipper and believes that he can lead the side to yet another series win at home to extend their decade-long unbeaten streak of not suffering a Test series defeat at home. He concluded by saying, “Everyone knows of the influence and impact that Rohit has had on the whole group. He talks about communication. He gives enough confidence to every player and brings out the best in them. That has been the hallmark of his captaincy and he leads from the front as seen in the World Cup. He walks the talk. When you have a leader walking the talk, it gives you better efficiency within the whole group. So, I think he’s a proven leader.”
Both sides have been hit with big losses as Virat Kohli is confirmed to miss the first two Tests while England’s Harry Brook will not be a part of the England squad touring India. Both players had cited ‘personal reasons’ for backing out. India will begin their series vs England with the first game taking place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Comments
0 comment