Missed opportunity: Rohit Sharma’s legacy as a Test opener will remain incomplete

The Indian cricket team has already accomplished many wonderful feats in the international arena. It is the only Asian team to win a Test series in Australia, it has won all the major ICC events with the exception of the recently inaugurated World Test Championship. But one mission is still incomplete – winning a Test series in South Africa. And Rohit Sharma’s injury makes the matter worse.

On 10th December, Rohit Sharma posted of video of his batting practice ahead of the South African tour. Two days later, it was revealed that the Indian opener has been ruled out of the series due to an injury that occurred in the nets. His absence not only harms his personal legacy but is also a setback for the Indian team.

An opportunity to cement his legacy

Until October 2019, Rohit had been a middle-order batsman in Test cricket. While his home average (85.44) was a testament to his mastery of the Indian pitches, his away batting average (26.32) was less than desirable. Much like his limited-overs career, the push to the top changed Sharma’s batting fortunes in the longest format of the game.

As an opener, Rohit’s first away series was in Australia. He missed the first two Tests but was solid at the top in the remaining two encounters. With his weaknesses against the moving ball, the upcoming World Test Championship final and the subsequent England tour was going to be his real test.

That first overseas Test 💯 feeling for Rohit Sharma 😃#WTC23 | #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/pSYcmS307C

— ICC (@ICC) September 4, 2021

Walking out in flying colours, Rohit aced both the challenges. His knocks of 34 and 30 in the WTC final may not seem too impressive but they were scored in the most testing conditions against a formidable red-ball attack. In the Test series that followed, the opener accumulated 368 runs in four matches against England. His 127 at The Oval proved to be in a match-winning cause for India.

The upcoming South Africa tour would have been a perfect opportunity for the Hitman to substantiate his credentials as an all-condition Test opener. His current batting average in South Africa stands at 15.37 after four Tests. However, he batted in the middle order in these encounters. Considering his age, he is unlikely to tour the African nation for Test cricket once again. It is definitely a missed opportunity for one of the batting legends of Indian cricket.