"The issue is match practice and match fitness" - Sanjay Manjrekar on Rohit Sharma's return to Test cricket

Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes Rohit Sharma will have to close out the gap caused by a lack of match practice and match fitness when it comes to Test cricket. The Indian skipper's last red-ball appearance came during the home series against Sri Lanka in March 2022.

He missed the rescheduled Test against England after being infected by COVID-19. He was also ruled out of the two Tests against Bangladesh after sustaining a finger injury during the third ODI prior to the red-ball series.

Claiming that Team India will have a reliable top-order batter in Rohit should he shake off the blues soon enough, Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo:

"Rohit Sharma's last complete series came against England and he performed really well there. Since he is coming back into Tests after a long time, the issue is match practice and match fitness."

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Manjrekar continued:

"But, with the technique he has and the temperament at this stage of his career, it is great to see. If he can close the gap caused by lack of practice soon, then India will have a reliable top order batter for the series."

Rohit, like most of the subcontinent opening batters, has a tremendous home record. He scored a memorable 161 against England in challenging conditions in a typical Chennai turner two years ago, something which the Men in Blue would want more of to ward off the Australian challenge.

"India have got a lucky break" - Sanjay Manjrekar on Australia's injury crisis

The visitors are currently devising a plan to balance the team without Cameron Green's services for the first Test. Their fast bowling unit has also received a serious blow as Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc have also been ruled out, leaving Pat Cummins an inexperienced pace bowling partner.

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Opining that Australia would have gone with the iconic pace trio of Starc-Cummins-Hazlewood had all three been fit, Manjrekar said:

"With Hazlewood, Starc and Green's injury, India have got a lucky break because they have some concerns over their batting. Iyer and Pant's injury come across as a huge blow. But, the Australian team is weakened as well. Had Hazlewood and Starc been fit, they would have gone with three seamers."

Further adding that no Australian batter apart from Steve Smith has proved themselves on subcontinent pitches, Manjrekar said:

"When it comes to Australian batting, they have form, they also have runs under their belt, but apart from Steve Smith, no one has proved their potential in India. If the pitches are rank turners, then there will be a question mark over the Australian batters."

Smith has shown his caliber against spin bowling, especially during his last red-ball visit to India. The then-skipper scored three centuries across the four-match Test series, stamping his authority on being Australia's best batter against spin.

Team India will take on Australia in the first of the four Tests, starting on Thursday, February 9, in Nagpur.

Will Rohit Sharma have a prolific Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the bat? Let us know what you think.

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