Why does Sunil Gavaskar want Rohit Sharma to change his batting style in the IND vs SA Test series?

pc: dnaindia

After Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami played crucial roles in India's ICC World Cup 2023 campaign, Men in Blue captain Rohit Sharma emerged as the unsung hero of the tournament with his excellent batting. The experienced opening batsman displayed 'PlayStation batting' in the ODI World Cup, providing explosive starts and leading the attack. Following India's defeat in the World Cup final, Rohit was rested for the white-ball leg of the South Africa tour, with Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul taking over the captaincy duties in T20Is and ODIs respectively.

Rohit Sharma is set to return to captaincy in the upcoming first Test against South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. However, legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes that Rohit will face a significant challenge in adjusting his batting approach for the Test series against the Proteas. Gavaskar highlighted the need for Rohit to move from an aggressive ODI mindset to a more patient and strategic approach in Test cricket.

Speaking to Star Sports ahead of the Boxing Day Test, Gavaskar stressed the mental shift required for Rohit to adapt to the demands of Test match conditions. "He has to completely change his approach to Test cricket because he has to think in terms of batting the whole day," Gavaskar said. Recognizing the explosive range of Rohit's shots, Gavaskar suggested that if he can get the innings going, Rohit has the potential to score a big score, which will contribute significantly to India's total.

Under Rohit's leadership, India aims to achieve their first Test series win in South Africa, a historic feat that has not been achieved in seven out of eight tours since 1992. Gavaskar believes there is a change in approach, focussing on occupying the crease and batting. The whole day will be crucial for Rohit to lead India to success in the challenging Test series against South Africa.