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'The conditions are tough there': Saba Karim names Indian batsman who has to play 'mentor's role'
"The conditions are tough there for batting and if you have an opening partnership there and your top-order clicks, you create a brilliant platform to put up a big score," Karim said.
The Indian Test team has faced some criticism in the past month for their display in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand. India lost the WTC Final to New Zealand by 8 wickets. The batting performance at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton was lacklustre as they could only muster 217 and 170 runs in both innings.
Rohit Sharma looked good at the start of his innings but failed to capitalize on the good starts. There have been several opening combinations for India in the past few years but it looks like Rohit has cemented his spot in the team at the top of the order.
Former India wicket-keeper batsman Saba Karim wants Rohit to play the mentor’s role for the young openers like Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw, and Mayank Agarwal.
“Talking to him [Rohit] is very necessary as he has to play a mentor's role for the other new openers coming in. The conditions are tough there for batting and if you have an opening partnership there and your top-order clicks, you create a brilliant platform to put up a big score," Karim said on India News.
"Rohit Sharma has got a different role for Team India in the last one to one-and-a-half years. I feel they have made a core group of leaders, where captain Virat Kohli is right at the top, after that vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and after that definitely if someone's name comes, it is Rohit Sharma."
Former India all-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi also had high praise for Rohit as he said that the opener has ‘stamped his authority in Test cricket’ after struggling in the initial days.
"A lot here depends on Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara - how these three batsmen catch form in the upcoming series. We all know that in his elegance, Rohit Sharma is the best batsman in the world."
"He was definitely struggling in Test cricket if we talk about sometime back but now he has stamped his authority in Test cricket. He is a special player as an opener, when he plays he can take the match away for the opposition in a matter of moments."
