Rohit Sharma doesn’t have a great record in South Africa in Test cricket.
Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull praised Rohit Sharma for his batting approach and captaincy in recent times, calling him "the most selfless Indian cricketer" he has seen in the past few years.
Doull further expressed confidence in Rohit's abilities, stating that he has the skills and temperament to succeed in South Africa both as a batter and a captain in the upcoming two-match Test series.
Notably, the Indian skipper is set to return to competitive action for the first time since the World Cup 2023 final, leading Indian cricket in the Test series against South Africa starting on December 26.
The hitman doesn’t have a great record in South Africa, scoring only 123 runs in four Tests, and he will be leading for the first time in Tests in South Africa. However, Doull feels the aggressive and selfless Rohit can changes the things in the upcoming Test series in South Africa.
Simon Doull said on Star Sports: “It will be about tempering his game a little bit. The one thing I have observed about Rohit Sharma in the last 10-18 months is that he has probably been the most selfless Indian cricketer I have seen in a long, long time. He has done everything he possibly could for his team to win. He made this team, he played in a certain way to allow the others in the team to be able to play the way they play, in white-ball cricket in particular.”
Doull added, “In the World Cup, we saw that he set the tone at the top of the order, which allowed the middle order to play the way they played. So, it's a slight change for him, not too much. I still want him to be that aggressive Rohit Sharma. We do see it in Test matches.”
The Test series begins on December 26 in Centurion and the second match will be played in Cape Town from January 3 onwards.
(With Star Sports/PTI Inputs)