When compared to the departing India captain Virat Kohli, who built India’s owling strength during his captaincy tenure with the red ball, Indian cricket veteran Gautam Gambhir remarked that it will be not a much difficult job for the incoming team India skipper Rohit Sharma to achieve the victories.
He also reinforced the widely held belief that hitters just create the stage for bowlers to win team matches. The veteran opening batsman also feels that Indian bowlers, which includes fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, as well as seasoned spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, are extremely good.
Gambhir went on to say that while Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara were left out of the current team because of their unstable form, upcoming players including Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer seem more than designed to fulfill the vacancy that the seasoned batsmen have left. Although Vihari has performed admirably for India in his few occasions, Iyer began his Test career with a century versus New Zealand.
Virat Kohli has developed India’s bowling strength: Gambhir
“I don’t think so. Because it won’t be a big challenge for Rohit Sharma in red-ball cricket. If you talk about Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinka Rahane, you have experienced players like Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer who can replace them. Iyer had made a bright start to Test cricket,” said Gambhir.
“When you have Ashwin, Jadeja, Shami, Bumrah, then it doesn’t get (difficult). Bowlers win you matches, batters only set the match up. Virat Kohli has developed India’s bowling strength, so I don’t think it should be difficult for Rohit Sharma in red-ball cricket,” he added.
In addition, the experienced cricketer argued that it is simpler for a skipper to command in comfortable home circumstances because batting first normally serves as the basis in India. Importantly, Sharma’s first Test challenge is against Sri Lanka in a 3-match home series.
Because the pitches in the subcontinent tend to wear down as the game unfolds, most captains choose to bat first. Gambhir believes that the Indian skipper would be ideally equipped starting at home rather than overseas since the conditions there are more difficult to deal with.
“In India, it’s comparatively easier. You win the toss and bat. Overseas, it gets difficult because the condition is challenging. Here, you know you can set the game if you bat first,” added Gambhir.
