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'Rohit Sharma will have to change': Sunil Gavaskar pinpoints India captain's biggest challenge in South Africa
What is Rohit Sharma's biggest challenge in South Africa? Sunil Gavaskar has shared his views about the India skipper and his form ahead of the 1st Test.
Former India skipper Virat Kohli shattered a plethora of records to finish the ICC World Cup 2023 as the all-time leading run-getter of the elite tournament. Veteran Indian pacer Mohammed Shami also scripted history with his sizzling bowling performances at the grandest stages of them all. Recording a perfect ten, hosts India finished runners-up to Australia in the ICC event. Though Kohli and Shami spearheaded India's title charge at the ICC event, it was skipper Rohit Sharma, who emerged as the 'genuine hero' of the Men In Blue.
The veteran Indian opener upped the ante for the Kohli-starrer side with his 'Playstation batting' at the One Day International (ODI) World Cup. The 36-year-old provided Team India with valuable starts by launching an all-out attack on the premier bowlers of the opposition at the ODI World Cup. After Team India's heartbreaking defeat in the final, Rohit was rested for the entire white-ball leg of the South Africa tour. Suryakumar Yadav captained India in the South Africa T20Is while KL Rahul guided India to a 2-1 ODI series win over the Proteas.
Rohit returns as India chase history in Test series
On Tuesday, senior batter Rohit will lead Team India for the first time since the ICC World Cup 2023 final. Captain Rohit is making his return in the upcoming 1st Test between India and South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion. Speaking to Star Sports in the build-up to the Boxing Day Test encounter, legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar explained why Rohit will have to change his batting approach for the two-match series against the Proteas.
Gavaskar pinpoints India captain's biggest challenge in South Africa
"First and foremost, the challenge would be to get your mental state into a Test match situation. He has been batting in the ODI format where he had decided that he was going to be playing the attacking role and try and score as many runs as possible in the first 10 overs of field restrictions," Gavaskar said. India captain Rohit is the highest-scoring captain in a single World Cup edition. The senior batter smashed 597 runs for India at the 2023 World Cup. Averaging 54.27 in 11 games, skipper Rohit struck three fifties and one century in the ICC event.
'He will have to change the approach completely'
Under Rohit's leadership, India will aim to record its first-ever Test series win in South Africa. India have failed to achieve the special feat in seven of its eight visits to South Africa since 1992. "He will have to change the approach completely for Test cricket because he will have to think in terms of batting the whole day. If he bats the whole day, then, clearly with the range of shots that he has got, he will be able to end up with 180 or 190 not out at the end of the day and India will be 300-plus," Gavaskar added.
