<p>Rohit Sharma’s stop-start Test career will reach an exclamation point on Friday when he leads India for the first time in the long format, an exceptional feat that has been overshadowed by his predecessor Virat Kohli’s landmark 100th Test.</p>.<p>A precocious talent, Rohit made his one-day international debut way back in June 2007 but ended up waiting more than six years to wear the whites as the Indian team was served well by some legendary batsmen during that time.</p>.<p>When he finally got to play red-ball cricket in November 2013 during a transitional time for Indian cricket following the retirements of Rahul David and VVS Laxman in quick succession a year earlier, Rohit made a smashing opening statement. He blasted 177 in the first Test against the West Indies and scored an unbeaten 111 in the second.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/difficult-to-fill-in-for-pujara-rahane-but-at-times-we-need-to-look-forward-rohit-sharma-1087647.html" target="_blank">Difficult to fill in for Pujara, Rahane but at times we need to look forward: Rohit Sharma</a></strong></p>.<p>Then, just like how his one-day career sagged at the start before being rediscovered as an opener by MS Dhoni in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, Rohit’s career fell off trajectory in the Tests too and came alive when coach Ravi Shastri got him to open in the home Test series against South Africa in 2019.</p>.<p>He scored three centuries, including a double, in four innings, amassing 529 runs to not only announce his second coming in a great way but going on to become an integral part of the team.</p>.<p>Now with Kohli stepping aside to rediscover his personal form, the 34-year-old Rohit will become the 35th Indian Test captain but the easy-going Mumbaikar said he’s not obsessed about the occasion but focussed on carrying forward the legacy left by his predecessor. “Honestly, I’m looking forward to win games as much as possible with the right players in the squad.</p>.<p>As a Test team, at the moment we stand in a very good position. If you look at the last five years of our Test cricket, in this particular format, what he (Kohli) has done for the Test team was brilliant to see,” said Rohit at the pre-match press conference.</p>.<p>"For me, I just have to take it forward from where he has left. The team stands in a very good position. Of course, we are somewhere midway in the World Test Championship table but honestly, I don’t see anything wrong in the last 2 or 3 years. Of course, as a team we want to improve in every game we play and that’s always going to be the benchmark that we set for ourselves moving forward. We are looking forward to correcting all our mistakes.”</p>.<p>Rohit even played down a question on his personal target. “The targets are set for the team. Not thinking about myself. Yeah, okay, I have only played 40 (43) matches. But I am happy. I don't have any regrets. There have been a lot of injuries and things have been up and down. That keeps happening. It's never a smooth ride and there is a lot to learn from those situations. I have a big job in front of me, to lead the team in Tests, and I am thinking just about that.”</p>
<p>Rohit Sharma’s stop-start Test career will reach an exclamation point on Friday when he leads India for the first time in the long format, an exceptional feat that has been overshadowed by his predecessor Virat Kohli’s landmark 100th Test.</p>.<p>A precocious talent, Rohit made his one-day international debut way back in June 2007 but ended up waiting more than six years to wear the whites as the Indian team was served well by some legendary batsmen during that time.</p>.<p>When he finally got to play red-ball cricket in November 2013 during a transitional time for Indian cricket following the retirements of Rahul David and VVS Laxman in quick succession a year earlier, Rohit made a smashing opening statement. He blasted 177 in the first Test against the West Indies and scored an unbeaten 111 in the second.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/difficult-to-fill-in-for-pujara-rahane-but-at-times-we-need-to-look-forward-rohit-sharma-1087647.html" target="_blank">Difficult to fill in for Pujara, Rahane but at times we need to look forward: Rohit Sharma</a></strong></p>.<p>Then, just like how his one-day career sagged at the start before being rediscovered as an opener by MS Dhoni in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, Rohit’s career fell off trajectory in the Tests too and came alive when coach Ravi Shastri got him to open in the home Test series against South Africa in 2019.</p>.<p>He scored three centuries, including a double, in four innings, amassing 529 runs to not only announce his second coming in a great way but going on to become an integral part of the team.</p>.<p>Now with Kohli stepping aside to rediscover his personal form, the 34-year-old Rohit will become the 35th Indian Test captain but the easy-going Mumbaikar said he’s not obsessed about the occasion but focussed on carrying forward the legacy left by his predecessor. “Honestly, I’m looking forward to win games as much as possible with the right players in the squad.</p>.<p>As a Test team, at the moment we stand in a very good position. If you look at the last five years of our Test cricket, in this particular format, what he (Kohli) has done for the Test team was brilliant to see,” said Rohit at the pre-match press conference.</p>.<p>"For me, I just have to take it forward from where he has left. The team stands in a very good position. Of course, we are somewhere midway in the World Test Championship table but honestly, I don’t see anything wrong in the last 2 or 3 years. Of course, as a team we want to improve in every game we play and that’s always going to be the benchmark that we set for ourselves moving forward. We are looking forward to correcting all our mistakes.”</p>.<p>Rohit even played down a question on his personal target. “The targets are set for the team. Not thinking about myself. Yeah, okay, I have only played 40 (43) matches. But I am happy. I don't have any regrets. There have been a lot of injuries and things have been up and down. That keeps happening. It's never a smooth ride and there is a lot to learn from those situations. I have a big job in front of me, to lead the team in Tests, and I am thinking just about that.”</p>
