Rohit Sharma as Test opener? Anil Kumble weighs in after Sourav Ganguly’s endorsement

There is great promise shown by Mayank Agarwal at the top of the order, but for KL Rahul, it has not been the same.

India dominated West Indies in the recently-concluded Test series, but there were several issues which need immediate attention. The primary being the opening woes. There is great promise shown by Mayank Agarwal at the top of the order, but for KL Rahul, it has not been the same. He keeps getting starts but keeps finding new ways to get out. This prompted former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly to advocate for Rohit Sharma to be promoted to open the innings even in Test cricket.

File image of Rohit Sharma (Getty Images)

However, Anil Kumble, who has shared the dressing room with Ganguly, does not concur. India’s leading wicket-taker in the longest format is not convinced that Rohit will be the suitable answer at the top of the order.

“I mean it is a tricky situation that KL is in. KL has done well, like you said he has got starts but not converted them, got out. He has struggled, he looked like I think in the last innings, he looked like he is struggling to get bat on ball, he was not his usual self,” Kumble told CricketNext.

So should India bump Rohit to open the innings, much like the way Ganguly made Virender Sehwag a Test opener? As per Kumble, this might not be the solution to end the woes.

“You only know when you actually do that but I am not really sure about pushing Rohit at the top unless it is a desperate situation. Yes, are we in a desperate situation where we are looking for an opener in someone who has done well at the domestic level, is it worth considering that or should Rohit, Yes, he is a high-quality player sitting on the bench, should he be pushed at the top,” he further added.

However, the former leg-spinner was quick to add that a judgment could only be made once Rohit actually went ahead and opened the innings and only when he was pushed to get the job done.