BGT Flashback: How Rohit Sharma missed out on making his Test debut in Perth in 2012 and the Virat Kohli connection to it
Team India captain Rohit Sharma will miss the first Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth, as he decided to stay back in India for the birth of his second child. As per reports, he's likely to join the Indian team on November 24 and is set to feature in the second Test beginning in Adelaide from December 6.
Incidentally, Rohit was set to make his Test debut in Perth during the 2011-2012 tour Down Under, replacing Virat Kohli, who was struggling for runs. Kohli was, however, retained in the playing XI and repaid the faith shown in him by registering scores of 44 and 75 even as India went down by an innings and 37 runs.
During the Mohali Test of the India-England Test series in 2016, Virender Sehwag spilled the beans on how Rohit missed out on making his Test debut in Perth in 2012. Sehwag was on commentary duty during the 2016 India-England series. Recalling how Kohli ended up playing the Perth Test instead of Rohit, he said:
“Selectors wanted to play Rohit Sharma instead of Virat Kohli at Perth in 2012. I was vice-captain, and MS Dhoni was leading the team, and we decided that we have to back Virat Kohli, and the rest is history."
In the next Test of the series, Kohli scored 116 in the first innings in Adelaide, notching up his maiden ton in the format. As for Rohit, it was a case of so near yet so far again. He was initially set to make his Test debut against South Africa in Nagpur in February 2010. However, on the morning of the game, he suffered a freak injury, twisting his ankle during warm-ups and was ruled out of the game.
Rohit Sharma's delayed but highly memorable Test debut
After a couple of narrow misses, Rohit eventually made his Test debut against the West Indies in November 2013 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The right-handed batter struck a sublime 177 off 301, hitting 23 fours and a six as India thumped the Windies by an innings and 51 runs.
The Mumbai cricketer scored another hundred on his home ground in the second game of the series, which was also the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's last Test match. Rohit struck 111* off 127 as India beat the West Indies by an innings and 126 runs to give Tendulkar the perfect farewell gift.