Matter of time before Rohit Sharma delivers away from home in Tests, believes Wasim Jaffer

Team India, led by Virat Kohli, seemed to have solved the biggest mystery in Indian cricket last year, when they elevated Rohit Sharma to the top of the order at the start of the home season. After years of struggling in the middle-order, finding himself in and out of the side, Rohit grabbed the opportunity that was provided to him with both hands, remarkably scoring two centuries and a double century across five games to assert his authority in the format. 

But that being said, there are still doubts being cast over the 33-year-old’s ability to perform away from home, with the Mumbaikar’s average away from home standing at a paltry 26.32, in stark contrast to his numbers at home of 88.33. However, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer is of the opinion that it’s only a matter of time before Rohit turns things around away from home in Test cricket. According to Jaffer, Rohit is now more mature than he has ever been and just needs to negate the tricky first hour in order to master the red-ball game away from home.

“Rohit now understands his game very well. He is a very mature player. He knows how to play the situation and how to play out the more-skilled bowlers. When he travels overseas, in England or Australia, he knows the conditions now as he has played a lot of ODIs and T20Is there. It is only a difference of formats. Still, he knows how to make big hundreds,” Jaffer told Times Now.

“The challenge for him will only be to negate the first 15-20 overs or play out the first session. From thereon, we all know how lethal or dangerous he can be. He has scored in India. Only a matter of time when he delivers overseas.”

Jaffer, who played 31 Tests for the country himself, stated that it was unfair to disregard Rohit’s achievements at home and pointed out that the 33-year-old’s exploits against the Proteas last year came out against a quality attack which consisted of world-class bowlers. The 42-year-old admitted that Rohit succeeding in white-ball cricket is no guarantee that he will also succeed in the longer format, but reiterated that the right-hander would master SENA conditions should he get through the first hour.

“Rohit has a double hundred and twin centuries versus South Africa. It is not easy though it came at home. People often disregard the runs scored at home but you have to see he played against a very experienced South African bowling attack, comprising Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander in 2019.

“Yes, it is never a given that a big player of limited-overs will succeed in Tests as well. However, he has done well in whites for a smaller period. Don't get me wrong. The only question that remains in people's minds is how he will do in SENA countries. In my view, I feel the only challenge for him is to survive the first hour. That's it!.”