KL Rahul, Murali Vijay, and Shikhar Dhawan have all failed to cement their spot in the Test side and that has thrown the door open for Rohit Sharma. The 31-year-old, who made a successful transition from middle-order batsman to being an opener in the shorter formats is up for the challenge if the team management decides to give an opportunity.
Although he has nearly 1,500 Test runs at an average of just under 40, he has never opened the innings in Tests but admitted that he is open to the possibility of fulfilling that role in the Indian Test side.
“Look, I have never been offered (to open the innings in Tests) yet but I am open to anything as in whatever the team management wants. I never thought I will be an opener in ODIs when I started playing or when I was playing for India. But it happened along the way, so I (want to) keep my options open. No option is shut for me, so if the opportunity comes, I will take it,” Rohit told reporters at a promotional event.
After failing to impress in the Test series in South Africa earlier this year, the 31-year-old wasn’t included in the Indian Test squad for the first three Tests to take on England but remains optimistic of a recall to the side.
“I want to be part of the (Test) team, but it is not in my hands. I have to wait for the opportunity, whenever it comes, I have to be ready for it. To be ready, I am doing everything, training, doing as much as possible to give myself the best chance when the opportunity comes there,” he added.
Rohit still believes that India can turn things around in England despite being 0-2 down in the five-match Test series. However, he admitted that the team has won Tests in England before and while it won’t be easy, it isn’t impossible. He cited the example of the Test series against South Africa earlier this year.
“Yes of course, we have to believe that we can do it. It’s not going to be that easy. We have done it in South Africa we lost the first two Test matches and then we bounced back in Johannesburg and won that Test match,” the 31-year-old said.