Newly appointed India batting coach Vikram Rahtour feels Rohit Sharma is "too good a player" to not be playing in all three formats and backed him to do well as a Test opener in all conditions. Rohit Sharma is one of the greats of white-ball cricket but has had a start-stop Test career. He has been given another opportunity in the five-day format, this time as an opener in the upcoming series against South Africa. Rohit Sharma needs to "maintain his individuality" as a Test opener and his success in the longest format can help India successfully chase down big targets, said former assistant coach Sanjay Bangar.

"He is too good a player to not be playing in any game. That is what is everyone is thinking. He has done so well in white-ball cricket as an opener so there is no reason why he can't succeed as a Test opener provided he gets enough opportunities," Rathour said ahead of the second T20 against South Africa here on Monday adding that, "If he comes good, he will be a huge asset for the team." 

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Vikram Rathour about Rohit's future in Tests

Rohit Sharma will be getting the opportunity to open in Tests at home but Rathour said the stylish batsman has it in him to succeed overseas also.  "At the moment, I am not too sure what the playing eleven for the first Test will be but if Rohit does well and is opening, why not," he said when asked about the possibility of him opening on overseas tours. The 32-year-old has scored more than 10,000 runs in limited-overs cricket but has managed to play only 27 Tests, averaging 39.62, much lower than his ODI average of 48.52.  Rohit Sharma had an extremely delightful World Cup as he scored five hundreds in the tournament, going past Sachin Tendulkar's record.  

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Rohit Sharma's Test career

In 27 Tests, Rohit has scored 1585 runs at an average of 39.62 with three hundreds and 10 fifties but he is yet to cement a permanent place in the side. The 32-year-old was seen as a middle-order batsman in Tests but with Hanuma Vihari sealing the number 6 spot with some superlative performance in the Caribbeans, doors have opened up for Rohit to seal the opening slot in Test. Bangar's five-year tenure with the Indian team came to an end last month when he was replaced by Vikram Rathour as India's new batting coach. Reports had emerged that Bangar, who has now been replaced by Vikram Rathour, confronted the selector on the just-concluded West Indies tour, Gandhi, in his hotel room and the exchange wasn't exactly friendly. 

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