WI vs IND | Rohit Sharma is a big match-winner and should be included in team, reckons Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar has stated that Rohit Sharma has been in great touch, of late, because of which the opener should be played in the Test against West Indies. He admitted that the batsman has had a poor track record in the format but he deserves another chance and is a must have in the playing XI.
Having triumphed in the white-ball formats, India will commence the final leg of their Caribbean tour when they take the field for the first Test on Thursday. While most expect Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul to be opening the innings for India and Ajinkya Rahane to slot into the middle order at least in the first match, former Pakistani quick Shoaib Akhtar believes Rohit Sharma’s recent streak of form warrants him a place in the team.
The 32-year-old ended as the World Cup’s highest run-scorer less than a month ago, before continuing his momentum with exceptional performances in the T20 and ODI series against the Windies. While he is the best batsman in the world in white ball cricket after skipper Virat Kohli, he has failed to replicate the same consistency in Tests.
"I know Rohit has been given chances to play in the Test format earlier and he has not been able to grab on to the opportunity. But I believe he should be included in the team. He is a big match-winner, and not including him will be wrong. He is in good form and he should be given a chance right away," the 44-year-old was quoted saying Times Now in a video on his Youtube channel.
Sharma has only played 27 matches since making his debut in 2013 and though he has a decent average of 39.6, it’s quite a decline from his ODI average of 48.5. He last played in the all-whites for India in the Boxing Day Test last year Down Under, where he scored an unbeaten 63 to guide the team to victory. Akhtar believes Sharma can still redeem his place in the format.
"When you have selected him in the squad, leaving him out of the playing XI should not be an option. I believe he will showcase his talent in the longest format of the game, he will become a great player in the Test format as well," Akhtar stated.
India had a heartbreaking end to their World Cup campaign as they lost the semifinal to New Zealand. However, the team has since bounced back well and is yet to lose a single match on their first tour since the cricket extravaganza.
"The team has recovered well after the World Cup set-back, and I believe they will perform well against West Indies in the Test series," Akhtar signed off.
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