India vs West Indies: Why a batsman of Rohit Sharma's calibre deserves more support from national selectors

Editor’s note: The Indian selectors decided to ignore Rohit Sharma while picking the squad for the Test series against Windies, opting to bring in fresh faces while axing seniors Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay. As the debate over Rohit’s place in the Test side rages on, with the likes of Sourav Ganguly and Harbhajan Singh backing the Mumbai batsman, we analyse the case for him to be picked into the Test side. To read the opposing viewpoint, click here . The Indian national selectors seemingly expressed their interest in moving on from the Murali Vijay-Shikhar Dhawan opening combination when they announced the squad for the Test series against the Windies. It was a call that was on the cards for a long time running. Vijay and Dhawan, who had been regulars for about three years now, have had their moments of glory in the red-ball format, with the former having reaped rich dividends on foreign soil. However, the marathon England tour was one that could make or break careers, and the consistent failures of the two batsmen on tour meant that the axe was to fall on them sooner or later. [caption id=“attachment_5296241” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Rohit Sharma averages 39.97 in Test cricket, and 54.71 overall in the First-Class format. Reuters[/caption] KL Rahul managed to save his place in the Test side with a heroic ton in the second innings of the Oval Test, one that seems to have made him a long-term option at the opener’s slot keeping the crucial tour of Australia in mind. While Prithvi Shaw, who didn’t get to make his Test debut after earning his maiden call-up in the England tour, has been picked for the two-Test series against the Windies. The selectors finally rewarded Karnataka opening batter Mayank Agarwal for his consistent performances in the domestic circuit as well as for India A. While the selectors were hailed for finally giving Agarwal an opportunity to prove himself at the highest level of the sport, there were those, including established cricketing names like Sourav Ganguly and Harbhajan Singh, who questioned the absence of a certain Rohit Sharma from the Test squad. The Mumbai batter might be a superstar when it comes to the shorter formats, given his three double centuries in ODIs as well as the kind of form that he’s been enjoying of late. However, the fact that he hasn’t quite been able to successfully carry that limited-overs form to the five-day format has resulted in him getting overlooked more often than not.

Great win Rohit and the team @ImRo45 ..u were exceptional...I get surprised every time I don’t see ur name in the test team ..it’s not far away ..

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) September 29, 2018

No @ImRo45 in test team against West Indies..what r the selectors thinking actually??? Anyone have a clue ??? plz let me know as I can’t digest this

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 30, 2018

Which begs the question: Does Rohit get enough chances to prove his mettle in Test cricket? Surely, an average of 40 in Test cricket, and 55 across First-Class cricket speaks of someone capable of filling in the void and making an impact. Having started his Test career off with a bang with centuries in consecutive Tests against the Windies at home in 2013, Rohit couldn’t convert that start into a consistent run in the overseas tours that followed in the build-up to the 2015 World Cup. The 2016 three-Test series against New Zealand saw the 31-year-old score 238 runs at an average touching the 80-mark, including a crucial 82 at Kolkata that came at a time when the Kiwi pacers were breathing down the necks of the Indian batsmen, rescuing the hosts from a precarious 106/6 to a score of 263. The manner in which Rohit neutralised the threat posed by the Trent Boult-led pace attack should silence those who doubt his credentials as a Test batsman. The Mumbaikar, though, would not get a chance in the format until a year later, when Sri Lanka toured India. Smacking an unbeaten century and two fifties in the opportunities he got in that series, he collected 217 runs in three innings, earning a berth in the Test squad for the tour of South Africa. Rohit however, struggled on the fast and bouncy tracks against an attack that’s arguably the finest of the current generation, which once again meant he fell out of favour with the selectors. Having collected a meagre 78 runs from four appearances at an average of 19.5, some were of the opinion that his days in the whites were over. However, one bad tour doesn’t necessarily translate to vacating the batsman’s place in the team especially after a good run in the preceding series’, and Rohit perhaps deserved more chances to silence his critics. There’s little doubt over ‘Hitman’ being a superstar in the one-day and Twenty20 formats, but the fact that he is the first-choice opener in those formats doesn’t mean that he hasn’t had his share of lows. Rohit enjoyed extensive support of both Virat Kohli as well as former skipper MS Dhoni, and was given a long rope even when runs weren’t flowing from his bat. The selectors could’ve quite easily tossed the whole conversation around his ’talent’ aside, and given someone else a chance. One look at where the Mumbai Indians captain stands today tells you that the selectors were right in backing his talent, and giving him enough chances to be able to convert his skill that he’s been blessed with into big scores. Whether he gets the Test opener’s slot, for which he had expressed interest quite recently, alongside Rahul is something that needs to be looked into. However, keeping him out of the fray on an entirety isn’t something that can be justified by the national selectors, especially when there’s a bit of a toss-up over the No 6 slot — one where he has shone in the past. Yes, there might be questions over his temperament as well as technique as far as the Test format is concerned. But who are we to suggest that cricketers don’t learn from their mistakes over time. Kohli certainly worked on his technical flaws in the 2014 England tour and was streets ahead of everyone else in the recent five-Test series against Joe Root’s men. Rohit’s absence though will come as good news for youngsters such as Shaw, Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari, and they will hope to make the most of the opportunities that come their way and build a case for the Australia tour. Looking into the future is a step that boards and their selection panels adopt across the world, and the MSK Prasad-led panel is no different. However, ignoring veterans who are still very much in their prime isn’t exactly beneficial for the national side while keeping the larger picture in mind. For now, we can hope for another double-century from his bat in the ODI series against a side that is quite low on confidence at the moment. To read the opposing viewpoint titled 'why selectors are right in not considering Rohit Sharma for upcoming home series', click here