Published 12:17 IST, April 30th 2020
Rohit Sharma turns 33: Hitman reveals Wriddhiman Saha delayed his Test debut by 3 years
Rohit Sharma was present on a chat show Breakfast with Champions where the host asked him about the football incident which jeopardized his Test debut.
India's limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma celebrated his 33rd birthday on Thursday. The right-hander, who broke into the Indian team a decade ago, was cited as one of the brightest talents of Indian cricket. Rohit Sharma has left a huge mark in the limited-overs format but hasn't been able to quite leave his impact in the longest form of the game.
ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma birthday: 'He had more talent:' Kapil Dev believes Sachin Tendulkar could've achieved more
Rohit Sharma was set to make his Test debut in 2010 against South Africa in Nagpur, which also happens to be his birthplace. But an unusual foot injury delayed him from getting his first Test cap. The 33-year-old had to wait for three long years before he finally got the opportunity to play his first Test. Rohit Sharma revealed the exact details about the incident that led to the hindrance in his Test debut on a chat show.
ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma birthday: Sachin Tendulkar answers perennial query about what keeps him grounded till date
Rohit Sharma reveals reason behind hindrance in Test debut
On Breakfast with Champions, the host asked Rohit Sharma about the reason behind his passion of playing football on the ground. He also asked him about the football incident, which jeopardized his Test debut. Rohit Sharma said that he wanted to clear that it was the rocket ball and not a football, which was used for the passing during the training.
Rohit Sharma further said that the ‘training’ was over and trainer Paddy Upton threw the ball up in the air as he tried to catch the ball. He added that he doesn’t know what actually happened to him that day when his left-foot twisted as it fell on the foot of Wriddhiman Saha, who was also there to catch the ball. Wriddhiman Saha eventually went on to make his debut.
Rohit Sharma said that he was a young and impulsive back then and he wanted to debut at any cost, even if it meant playing with one leg. He added that he couldn't have afforded to miss the debut to which the trainer replied that his foot was going to swell badly. Rohit Sharma further said that he couldn't even walk and had to put his foot in a bucket full of ice every two hours to bring down the swelling.
Saha made a name himself once MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket in 2014, while Sharma made his Test debut with a hundred against West Indies in Kolkata in 2013. Incidentally, it was the same home series in which Sachin Tendulkar played his last and 200th Test match in Mumbai. In fact, Sachin Tendulkar was also the cricketer who handed Rohit Sharma both his Test and ODI caps for India.
IMAGE COURTESY: ICC TWITTER
Updated 12:17 IST, April 30th 2020