Jimmy Neesham rates Rohit Sharma’s debut as a Test opener to be 'ok'

Rohit Sharma may have impressed almost everyone with his debut performance as an opener in Test cricket as he racked up twin hundreds and shattered many records, but New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham found his performance to be just "ok". 

"I think it's fair to say he's started ok," Neesham tweeted in reply to a fan asking him to give his views on Rohit's debut as a Test opener. 

Rohit's stellar performances in India's win over South Africa in Vizag helped him achieve a career-best ranking of 17 in red-ball cricket. Rohit was exceptional in the match as he scored 176 runs off 244 balls in the first innings and then he went on to score 126 off 149 in the second innings. With this, he became the first batsman to score centuries in each innings of a Test in their first match as an opener. He also became the second Indian opener to score centuries in both innings of a Test match.

On Day 4 of the match, Rohit also surpassed Wasim Akram to hit the most number of sixes in a Test match. The right-handed batsman broke the 23-year-old record previously held by Akram, who had hit twelve sixes in a match against Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura.

Rohit has established himself as one of the best players in the limited-overs format since being promoted to the opening slot in limited-overs cricket in 2013. But the 32-year-old never managed to replicate that success in Tests as a middle-order and lower middle-order batsman. 

India won the first Test against South Africa by a massive 203 runs and the team will face the Proteas in the second Test, slated to begin on Thursday. 

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