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Rohit Sharma Responded To Virat Kohli's Challenge In The Best Possible Way

Rohit Sharma during his first match as an opener in Test cricket [Source: @cricbuzz/x.com]Rohit Sharma during his first match as an opener in Test cricket [Source: @cricbuzz/x.com]

Over the last five to ten years, Rohit Sharma has become a prominent name in Indian cricket. He has not only contributed to numerous memorable wins but also established himself as one of the most successful captains in the nation's cricketing history. 

Rohit Sharma himself has acknowledged many times that his career took a positive turn when MS Dhoni asked him to open the innings in white-ball cricket. Even though Rohit has proven himself to be one of the most destructive batters in limited overs, his Test career was in tatters until 2019. 

Rohit Sharma destroyed the South African bowlers as a Test opener

Just as MS Dhoni brought about a dynamic change in Sharma's career by sending him to open in ODIs, Virat Kohli took a similar call in 2019. During the first South Africa tour of India, Kohli sent Rohit to open the innings with Mayank Agarwal. For a batter who likes to hit the ball hard and get on with the scoring rate, opening in Test cricket might have been difficult. But the T20 World Cup 2024 winning captain responded in the best way possible. 

Sharma and Agarwal set up a 317-run partnership for the opening wicket, setting the stage for a formidable total. Rohit scored 176 runs off just 244 deliveries, and his innings was decorated with 23 fours and 6 sixes. Agarwal went on to score 215 runs, propelling India to a massive total of 502/7 before they declared the innings.

South Africa came up with a resilient reply

In reply, Dean Elgar and Quinton de Kock slammed Hundreds and took South Africa to 431 before they were bundled out. In the second dig of India in the match, Rohit Sharma delivered the goods again. This time, he scored 127 points off 148 deliveries, with ten fours and seven sixes. Sharma ended the game with 13 sixes, the most by any batter in a Test match. 

Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja ensured that the South Africans were bundled out for 191 runs in the second innings as India won the match by 203 runs. 

Records tumbled at Vizag

India hit 27 sixes in the game, the most by any team in a single Test. The match had 37 sixes, the most ever in a single Test match. 

Rohit Sharma's Test career has been on the up since this match, and he has proven to be a dynamic opener in the format. One of India's best white ball cricketers responded to the challenge thrown at him by his skipper in the best way and gifted the nation with a solution for the opening spot.