Aakash Chopra has recently shared how India’s white-ball vice-captain Rohit Sharma can crack the opening code in the longer format. However, the veteran has said that the changes that Rohit Sharma has made in his technique, including improving his front-foot stride and firming his hands closer to the body have been helping him.
However, all the changes have been helping him to be more suited for the Tests as well. Chopra wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo.: “Since he (Rohit Sharma) started opening in Tests, there has been a change in his batting. The front-foot stride has become a little longer and the hands are staying closer to the body. Though he didn’t get a big score in the World Test Championship final, he made a sincere effort to modify his game to suit the conditions in both innings. Even while the front-foot stride was significantly longer, he didn’t look to play through the line or on the up. He defended patiently off the front foot, waiting for the ball to be really full or short, and then he cashed in.”
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The former Indian opener turned renowned commentator further added: “The WTC final wasn’t an isolated incident illustrating the difference in Sharma’s approach in Tests. His century in Chennai and half-century in Ahmedabad, against England earlier this year, and his double-century in Ranchi against South Africa in October 2019 showed those patterns.”
However, Rohit Sharma, one of India’s key members in white-ball cricket, failed to do well in Tests initially. He made his Test debut in 2013 as a middle-order batsman but with limited opportunities, he couldn’t flourish. But, it changed a couple of years back when he started opening in the Test. It started against South Africa and then he scored three centuries in that series, including a double-hundred as well. So far, he has scored 1094 runs as an opener from 19 innings which came at an average of just under 61.
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Aakash Chopra again shared: “Test cricket follows a different pattern and it looks like Sharma is willing to change tack to suit its demands. Will he never play a loose shot again? He probably will, but when he does, nobody will be passing a verdict on his Test career in a rush. And that will help. Only time will tell whether he will score runs in England and end the debate about his efficiency as a Test opener overseas, but going by the evidence of his recent outings, it’s fair to assume he’ll give it a good shot.”
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma is preparing for the upcoming five-match Test series against England. The first Test will start on August 4 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
