Rohit Sharma justified his elevation as a Test opener by slamming two dazzling centuries in the series opener against South Africa in Visakhapatnam.
He followed up his majestic 176 in the first innings with an equally brilliant 127 in the second essay. With this herculean effort, Sharma also became the first-ever batsman to score hundreds in each innings of his maiden Test as an opener.
Thanks to his brilliance at the top, India defeated the Proteas by 203 runs and Rohit bagged the Player-of-the-Match award.
After the match, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar heaped praise on Rohit, saying his Test career will only grow after such a fabulous start as an opener.
"Rohit Sharma is hitting hundred after hundred and I have been saying that Rohit should be in the Indian Test team. From here, he will become a great Test player. Rohit the Test batsman will only grow," Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.
WATCH: Shoaib Akhtar makes big prediction for Rohit Sharma after his maiden ton as Test opener
Apart from Rohit, speedster Mohammad Shami did a great job on the fifth day to help India bundle out the visitors for 191. Shami returned with the bowling figures of 5 for 35 on a pitch where there was not much assistance for the fast bowlers.
Hailing Shami, Akhtar said he had once advised him to become a tearaway pacer while also using the reverse swing as a lethal arsenal.
"After India's (50-over) World Cup disappointment, Shami called me up one day and said he was feeling sad that he could not do well for India. I told him not to lose heart but maintain fitness. The home series is coming and you will do well I said."
"I told Shami that I want him to become a tearaway pacer, running through batting line-ups. He has seam and swing, besides that he has reverse swing which very few bowlers in the subcontinent have. I told him you can become the king of reverse swing. Now, you see what he has done, he has got wickets from a docile pitch (in Visakhapatnam). I am very happy for him," he said.
Shoaib also rued the fact that no Pakistani fast bowlers asking him for help.
"Sadly, our Pakistani fast bowlers don't ask me how they can improve their bowling but the Indian bowlers like Shami are doing that. It is a sad scenario as far as my country is concerned," he remarked.
(With PTI inputs)
