Rohit Sharma has been given a tough choice to make ahead of Test captaincy debut: to replace the big shoes of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara with two of Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari in the upcoming Mohali Test against Sri Lanka, starting Friday.
The dropping of Rahane and Pujara was a big call the selectors made but it remains justified for both of them had had dwindling returns in Test cricket for more than two years.
Rohit Sharma asserted the importance of giving a long rope to the players – “Indian cricket’s future” – who will take the positions of Rahane and Pujara in the eleven.
“Agarwal, Gill, Vihari, Iyer – all these guys are Indian cricket’s future and we need to give them a solid run to excel,” Rohit Sharma said in the press conference on the eve of the Mohali Test.
Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer have had terrific starts to their Test careers. Gill has although attained his Test success as an opener, many believe that he will take up a middle-order slot going forward.
Vihari, on the other hand, has been the overseas specialist with just one of his 13 Tests coming at home. This Sri Lanka series gives him a chance to cement his spot even if Rahane or Pujara manage to come back in the squad later on.
Impressed by the trio’s Test performances so far in the given chances, Rohit assured them of proper long-term backing.
“Those guys who are going to replace Pujara and Rahane (in the eleven), they have done exceedingly well whenever they have got an opportunity, whether it is first-class cricket back home or India A tours or whatever limited opportunities they have got playing Test cricket
“I think we need to just back these guys to come good for us. At times, we need to look forward. Those guys have been waiting for a while now. Hopefully, they can turn things around for us. It is just not about one or two games but I am looking at a number of years for them playing for India and doing well for us,” Rohit Sharma added.
