Rohit Sharma as Test Opener: How It Changed Indian Cricket

Rohit Sharma opened the batting in Tests for the first time against South Africa in Vizag in October 2019, having previously played as a middle-order batter at No. 5 or 6. The experiment transformed Indian cricket — Rohit scored a century on debut as an opener and never looked back, going on to become one of India's greatest Test opening batters.

Why the Move Was Made

India's Test opening slots had been an issue for several years after the retirement of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir. Various openers including Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Lokesh Rahul, and Dhawan had been tried without sustained success. With Rohit's ODI record as an opener — including three double hundreds — head coach Ravi Shastri and captain Virat Kohli decided to trial him in the longest format.

Instant Impact

Rohit scored 176 and 127 in his first two Test innings as opener against South Africa in the Vizag and Pune Tests in 2019 — 303 runs at an average of 151.5 from his first two innings as an opener. India won the series 3-0. Rohit had found his home in Test cricket.

Test Career as Opener

As a Test opener, Rohit brought a different dimension to India's batting — attacking from the first ball, pulling short deliveries with ease, and putting pressure on bowling attacks immediately. His partnership with Mayank Agarwal first, then Shubman Gill, became one of India's best modern opening combinations. Rohit was named India's Test captain in 2022, taking over from Kohli.