'The real challenge will be...' Gautam Gambhir on Rohit Sharma's ability as a Test opener

Gautam Gambhir has said that Rohit Sharma's real Test as an opening batsman in red-ball cricket will come when he plays in overseas series.  The 'Hitman' who has made his comeback to red-ball cricket in the home Test series against South Africa last year had notched up his maiden double century in the longest format (212). He was also adjudged the Man of the Series for having amassed 529 runs in the three-match series.  He could not feature in the two-match away Test series against New Zealand as he was ruled out due to a calf injury that he had suffered during a T20I match that had preceded the Test and ODI series.

'The real challenge will be when': Gautam Gambhir

“I think the real challenge will be when Rohit Sharma goes to Australia, New Zealand, England, and South Africa. He will always get runs in India, he is a fabulous white-ball cricketer probably a better record than any of us and a better record than Virender Sehwag as well in limited-overs cricket,” said Gambhir while interacting on the Star Sports show ' Cricket Connected'. 

“But Test cricket is a different ball-game. Yes, I could see some glimpses of it but let’s see where his career goes. Virender Sehwag has got two triple-hundreds so I hope that Rohit Sharma can be as successful as Virender Sehwag in Test cricket,” the 2011 World Cup winner added.

Rohit Sharma in IPL 2020 & Team India's future assignments

Meanwhile, Rohit will next be seen in action as he will be leading the defending champions and four-time winners Mumbai Indians in the 13th edition of the cash-rich event that will be played in the UAE from September 19 to November 8. The complete fixtures will be announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) next week. 

Virat Kohli & Co.'s next Test assignment will be against the current top-ranked Test side Australia in their own backyard. The two fierce rivals will be locking horns in a four-match Test series that gets underway on December 3 in Brisbane.

 India had beaten Australia when they had toured Down Under in the 2018-19 season 2-1 in the four-match series to win their maiden Test series on Australian soil.  It remains to be seen whether the Virat Kohli-led side will succeed in retaining the iconic Border-Gavaskar Trophy by getting the better of a full-strength Australian side that features the likes of Steve Smith, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, etc. 
 

READ: Wasim Jaffer Believes Rohit Sharma Can Score Double Centuries In Overseas Test Matches

(Image Courtesy: AP)