IND vs SA | Team management should now give Rohit Sharma a sustained run in the new role, says Wasim Jaffer

All focus was on a certain Rohit Sharma ahead of Day 1 of the Vizag Test, especially after the Mumbaikar scored a two-ball duck in the warmup match that preceded the first Test. Despite establishing himself as a world-class ODI opener, there were still question marks over his red-ball credentials and with Jason Roy and Aaron Finch failing to translate their ODI opening prowess' in Tests, many feared it might turn out to be the same case with Rohit.

However, the 32-year-old struck an astounding 176 to well and truly establish the fact that he was now a more mature player and was ready than ever to open the batting in Tests. Former Indian Test opener Wasim Jaffer believes that the key for Rohit was to get through the initial new-ball pressure exerted by the bowlers and that it was always going to be easy once he got through that phase. 

“The biggest thing for Rohit was to survive and get through the initial phase,” Jaffer told Hindustan Times.

“Once he got through the initial phase, he was always going to be dangerous and that is what we got to see today (Wednesday)," he added.

With his exploits only next to Sir Don Bradman, Rohit has been a force to be reckoned with in Test cricket in the sub-continent. However, Jaffer believes that his real test will come away from home, where he might need to make radical adjustments to his technique. But the former opener is confident that Rohit has matured as a player and believes that it's now time for the team management to give him an extended run in the opening slot.

“Probably the one concern in his game is that he doesn’t come forward and goes hard at the ball outside the subcontinent. But I am sure he has matured as a player and made necessary modification to his game. The team management should give him a sustained stay in this new role,” Jaffer concluded.