Rohit Sharma is in South Africa with the single aim of creating history. No Indian team has won a Test series in South Africa since South Africa’s readmission to international cricket in 1992.
India have lost the last two Test series in South Africa by a 2-1 scoreline. On the 2021/22 tour, India even took a 1-0 series lead but squandered the opportunity by losing the remaining two Tests. This time, the series is of only 2 Test matches. So Rohit Sharma’s team cannot afford any slip up, starting from the first Test in Centurion on Boxing Day.
Rohit attended a pre-series press conference on Monday in Centurion where he spoke confidently. South Africa remains India’s only frontier that they have never conquered. India now aim to record their first-ever Test series win in South Africa.
When asked about doing an unprecedented series win, Rohit staunchly said that he and his team want to break the jinx of not having won a single series in South Africa since 1992.
“Want to achieve what nobody has achieved in this part of the world,” Rohit said.
It is time for the Test series and Captain Rohit Sharma is READY! 💪🏾🙌🏽#TeamIndia | @ImRo45 | #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/EYwvGjuKGw
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 24, 2023
This series will also be, lest one forgets, the first international outing for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah since losing the World Cup 2023 final against Australia last month.
Head coach Rahul Dravid had asserted yesterday that the players have “moved on” from the loss, and now are looking forward to this series.
As a batter, I am batting as well as I could: Rohit Sharma
Rohit also is confident in his batting, despite not having batted in international cricket for a month. His record in Test matches in South Africa is also discouraging, but the skipper isn’t worried about the past outings.
About his batting, Rohit said: “As a batter, I am batting as well as I could – whatever is in front of me, I will look forward to it”.
The first Test will be played at SuperSport Park, Centurion, and the second Test in Newlands, Cape Town.
