IND v SA 2019: Dilip Vengsarkar backs Rohit Sharma to open for India in Tests against South Africa

Due to KL Rahul’s below-par performance and unavailability of Prithvi Shaw, Rohit is set to be considered to open in South Africa series.

Rohit Sharma | Getty

BCCI selection committee is set to pick India's Test squad for the South Africa series on Thursday (September 12) and the focus is on the opening pair due to KL Rahul’s below-par performance and unavailability of Prithvi Shaw.

Due to this, Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad hinted that Virat Kohli’s deputy in limited overs cricket, Rohit Sharma can be considered as an option in the upcoming Test series and this thought has been backed by former chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar.

When asked about Rohit opening for India in Tests, Vengsarkar said, “To make him bat in the opening position or No. 3 or 4 doesn’t really make much of a difference. It is just about the mental state. It is a good thing that he will be opening; he will get a dedicated slot to bat in.

He is a world-class player and has proved it. Give him a platform, and he will perform. He delivered when the whole world was watching during his innings [of 140] against Pakistan in the World Cup. He is a big-match player, so I am sure he will succeed,” he added.

While talking about the 32-year-old right-hand batsman not getting a game in a two-match Test series against West Indies, the 63-year-old former India batsman said, “Leaving a player like Rohit out of the playing XI was very surprising. He is a world-class player. Would the team management have dropped him if we were playing a strong team like England or Australia?

After scoring five centuries in the World Cup and being in such great form, it was unfair to leave him out of the playing XI. We don’t know why he was dropped,” said the former India batsman,” Vengsarkar added.

Thus, it will be exciting to see what combination India decides to play against South Africa when the Test series begins on October 2 in Visakhapatnam.

(With Mid-Day inputs)

 
 

By Swapnil Shireesh Javkhedkar - 11 Sep, 2019

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