What important decision did Shastri make that shaped Rohit's Test career?

New Delhi, May 18 (NationPress) Former India head coach Ravi Shastri disclosed a pivotal choice made during his coaching period that significantly influenced Rohit Sharma's Test career. Rohit, who announced his retirement from Test cricket earlier this month, first joined the Test squad as a middle-order batsman. However, it was Shastri's suggestion that propelled him to the top of the order—an adjustment that transformed him into a world-class opener, enabling him to make a profound impact early in the innings.

Initially, Rohit was mainly acknowledged as a white-ball specialist. Nevertheless, Ravi Shastri's decision to elevate the hard-hitting batsman to the top order in 2019 marked a turning point, as Rohit rapidly excelled and rejuvenated his career in the longest format of the game.

"Batting at four or five, he used to get bored. I began contemplating why he was so successful in one-day cricket. He prefers to be out there early. I suggested that if he could handle it, he would have ample time to face the quicks. He possesses the shots to challenge them. With the field up, Test cricket could be a delightful experience for him if he embraces it," Shastri mentioned in a recent episode of The ICC Review.

Shastri revealed that the notion of Rohit opening in Tests first occurred to him during the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, where Rohit was in outstanding form, scoring five centuries and ending as the tournament's top run-scorer with 648 runs at an average of 81.

Impressed by his commanding performances, Shastri proposed the idea to then-captain Virat Kohli. The move turned out to be a brilliant strategy, as Rohit responded with two centuries in his debut Test as an opener against South Africa and went on to score nine out of his twelve Test centuries afterward.

Rohit ultimately wrapped up his Test career with 4301 runs in 67 matches at an average of 40.57, which includes 18 half-centuries.

"He had sufficient experience batting at five and six, but he was inconsistent. He would often get his 20s or 30s and squander the opportunity. (I thought) let's put him under pressure and elevate him in the order. I remember telling him in the West Indies, 'We want you to open.'

"This was in August 2019, if I'm not mistaken, after that World Cup. He had an exceptional World Cup, so his form was top-notch. He might have mulled it over for a bit, but he was agreeable," Shastri recounted.

"Then he came in for the first Test match, opened the innings, and scored a hundred. If I'm not mistaken, he got a significant hundred in that first innings and then never looked back because he appeared to enjoy it.

"He figured it out, and I must mention that he worked diligently on his technique. I thought his best batting was in England, where you really have to play differently and particularly needed to exhibit soft hands and know when to leave (the ball). He worked on that, which was commendable. Suddenly, he was setting up games for us," he concluded.