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‘Furnace Test’ for Rohit: Arthur
After four years in waiting, Rohit Sharma could finally get a Test debut when India take on Australia in Perth but Aussie coach Mickey Arthur said it would be nothing short of baptism by fire for the youngster whose footwork is suspect on bouncy tracks.
India is down 0-2 in the four-match series after humiliating losses in Melbourne and Sydney and the axe could fall on an out-of-sorts Virat Kohli for the third Test.
Arthur doubts Sharma would succeed on the fiery pitch of WACA, Perth and wonders if his backfoot play could stand up to the test.
“He has challenges on wickets which have bounce. WACA will have it and it’s a test by furnace. He probably just would have to make sure he gets his backfoot game in order. I have seen a lot of him on television and how he copes if he gets the nod will be very interesting,” he said.
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell echoed the opinion but felt the batsman should have been in the Indian team much earlier.
“Sharma should have been in the team a long time ago,” said Chappell who is an admirer of the middle-order batsman and predicts 10,000 Test runs from his blade.
“Now it’s hard for a batsman who hasn’t had a hit for a couple of weeks. You bring him to Perth in conditions which are very difficult for experienced batsmen, never mind the inexperienced ones.”
Chappell even goes on to suggest that Sharma should get match practice by playing in some club match or grade cricket in Perth in order to have a grip on the conditions. Playing in the WACA square alongside the main pitch would also not be a bad idea, according to Chappell.
He terms it a mistake on the part of team management to prefer Kohli over Sharma in the first two Tests. “I think Rohit should have been preferred. I have seen him taking on the Australians, playing the horizontal shots,” Chappell said.
Sharma has looked good in two practice matches the team has played at the start of the tour.
After four years in waiting, Rohit Sharma could finally get a Test debut when India take on Australia in Perth but Aussie coach Mickey Arthur said it would be nothing short of baptism by fire for the youngster whose footwork is suspect on bouncy tracks.
India is down 0-2 in the four-match series after humiliating losses in Melbourne and Sydney and the axe could fall on an out-of-sorts Virat Kohli for the third Test.
Arthur doubts Sharma would succeed on the fiery pitch of WACA, Perth and wonders if his backfoot play could stand up to the test.
“He has challenges on wickets which have bounce. WACA will have it and it’s a test by furnace. He probably just would have to make sure he gets his backfoot game in order. I have seen a lot of him on television and how he copes if he gets the nod will be very interesting,” he said.
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell echoed the opinion but felt the batsman should have been in the Indian team much earlier.
“Sharma should have been in the team a long time ago,” said Chappell who is an admirer of the middle-order batsman and predicts 10,000 Test runs from his blade.
“Now it’s hard for a batsman who hasn’t had a hit for a couple of weeks. You bring him to Perth in conditions which are very difficult for experienced batsmen, never mind the inexperienced ones.”
Chappell even goes on to suggest that Sharma should get match practice by playing in some club match or grade cricket in Perth in order to have a grip on the conditions. Playing in the WACA square alongside the main pitch would also not be a bad idea, according to Chappell.
He terms it a mistake on the part of team management to prefer Kohli over Sharma in the first two Tests. “I think Rohit should have been preferred. I have seen him taking on the Australians, playing the horizontal shots,” Chappell said.
Sharma has looked good in two practice matches the team has played at the start of the tour.
