WTC Final: Which Indian batsman has the highest average in the league phase?
The Ageas Bowl in Southampton is all set to host the iconic final of the World Test Championship featuring India and New Zealand from 18th June.
Two of the most dominant sides in world cricket will lock horns for the coveted trophy in the most challenging format of the game.
The formidable batting unit of the Indian team will be tested in English conditions that will be conducive to swing bowling.
Despite the team not doing well in an away series in New Zealand, they bounced back in Australia to script a glorious chapter in the history of Indian cricket by winning the series 2-1.
The league phase of this historic tournament has seen the rise of one of the finest batsmen of the modern era, Rohit Sharma. He has played the role of vice captain of the Indian side in the white-ball format for a long time. However, the Test series against South Africa marked the beginning of his stellar career as a Test opener.
In 11 matches, Sharma has amassed 1030 runs at an average of 64.37 with four hundreds, including a double hundred against South Africa at Ranchi.
He currently holds the record for the highest average by an Indian in the World Test Championship.
His consistency with the bat and his ability to thrive under pressure and perform exceedingly well has been the hallmark of his growth as a Test match player.
The rise of Rohit Sharma as a Test opener
The series against South Africa at home witnessed Rohit Sharma's meticulous rise as a Test match opener as he smashed 176 runs in his first innings. He continued his sublime form in the series and produced another masterclass in the third Test match.
On a sluggish wicket on offer at Ranchi, the charismatic opener guided the Indian team out of early jitters and forged a crucial stand with Ajinkya Rahane for the fourth wicket.
After tottering at 39 for the loss of three wickets, Sharma and Rahane steadied the ship. The duo stitched a 267-run stand, helping the Indian team declare the innings at 497 runs.
While Rahane was magnificent with his 115, the innings showcased glimpses of the talent exhibited by Rohit Sharma. Displaying an array of strokes, the 34-year-old smashed a well compiled 212 runs, studded with 28 boundaries and six maximums.
The innings not only helped the Indian team record a mammoth first innings total, but it also helped mark a new beginning for Rohit Sharma as a force to be reckoned with in the Test match arena.
Over the past couple of years, he has been one of the most consistent performers for the Indian team in all formats of the game. He has been a mainstay in the batting unit of the side and has time and again set a solid foundation at the top of the order.
While the series against South Africa witnessed his rise, the series against England stamped his authority in this format.
After trailing by one game in a home series against England, Rohit Sharma produced a masterclass on a spin-friendly track at Chennai.
The right-handed batsman scored a well-constructed 161 runs to propel the team to a massive total of 329 runs in the first innings.
While most other batsmen struggled to get going on the tricky surface on offer at the Chepauk, Rohit Sharma blunted the bowling unit en route to his big hundred.
Heading into the much-anticipated summit clash, India will be heavily reliant on him to provide them with an ideal start at the top of the order in the challenging English conditions.
With a wealth of international experience and a thousand runs under his belt in the league, he will enter the final match as one of the key players to watch out for.