Rohit Sharma is too good a player to be left out, he can open in Tests too, opines Sourav Ganguly

Rohit Sharma is too good a player to be left out, he can open in Tests too, opines Sourav Ganguly

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Sourav Ganguly reckons that Rohit Sharma can open the innings in Test cricket too, given how good a player he is and KL Rahul’s inconsistency at the top. While he praised the Indian fast bowlers for their excellent showing in the Caribbean, Ganguly called for them to be given proper breaks.

Team India are heading home after decimating their hosts West Indies in all three formats of the game, but especially in the Test series, sweeping it 2-0. However, according to Ganguly, one box India failed to tick was their opening combination, calling once again for Rohit Sharma to be given an opportunity at the top.

"I had suggested earlier about trying Rohit Sharma as an opener in Test cricket and I still believe that he needs to be given an opportunity because he is too good a player to be left out in the cold. After a fantastic World Cup, I believe he will be itching to grab the opportunity to open in Tests. With Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari settling in nicely, there is not much left to play around in the middle order," Ganguly wrote in a column for TOI.

"After the World Cup, India embarked on the tour of West Indies with a few areas and the role of a few cricketers as well to be ironed out. The opening still remains an area to work on. Mayank Agarwal looks good but will need a few more opportunities. His partner, KL Rahul, though, has flattered to deceive and that creates an opening at the top," he said.

And like most of the cricket experts around the world, the former Indian captain was all praise for the show put up by the Indian pacers. However, the 47-year-old specifically called for the BCCI to handle the workload carefully.

"The revelation has been India's fast-bowling department, especially Jasprit Bumrah. The rapid strides he has made and the way he is improving, he is sure to dominate world cricket for some time to come. Not only his speed, but his variation and control of line and length are worth noticing. He is a threat in all forms of the game and needs to be handled carefully. India’s support staff needs to ensure that Bumrah remains away from injuries," Ganguly said.

"Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami have been a good foil for him (Bumrah); and with Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and Navdeep Saini waiting in the wings, the Indian pace-bowling department currently has the riches to manage everyone’s workload without affecting the balance of the team. With the current crop of fast bowlers available, India can think of playing on pitches with bounce and pace at home also," Ganguly added.

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