5 Records Rohit Sharma can break as Test opener

There were all kinds of doubts. New ball worries, troubles against South Africa and his nemesis, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada. Opening the batting in Test cricket was the ultimate test. However, Rohit Sharma has put all of those to rest as he scored a scintillating knock of 176. He was in total control of his innings that included 23 fours and 6 sixes. Whether it was against spin or pace, Rohit looked at ease during his 244-ball knock. Thus, the Mumbaikar delivered in his first innings as a Test opener and has already created a massive reputation and hype around him. Rohit became just the fourth Indian to score a century in his maiden innings as an opener. He broke a few more records on his way to 176. However, here are five more records that Rohit Sharma can break as a Test opener. 1. Highest Test score Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Twitter) It is no secret that Rohit Sharma is known to score daddy hundreds. In white-ball cricket, we seldom see him throw his wicket away after scoring a ton. He usually makes it big. Out of his 27 ODI tons, 19 of them have ended up being scores in excess of 120. He has seven 150+ scores which include three double tons as well. Hence, Rohit has the ability to bat big and long. Moreover, he has shown that once he gets set, it is very difficult to stop him. Hence, the Test record of the highest individual score may not be out of reach for the ‘Hitman’. Brian Lara holds the record with a score of 400 not out. The Indian record is held by Virender Sehwag who scored 319. Thus, these are two scores that could well be within Rohit’s reach. In fact, he was threatening to make a big double ton in this game against South Africa as well. Hence, this is one of the records that the newly promoted Indian Test opener can achieve. 2. Most runs in a day Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Twitter) We’ve seen Rohit Sharma go big in ODI cricket. Once he gets going, he doesn’t stop. His three double tons are a testament to that fact. If he can score 264 in an ODI game then he could well go bigger in Test cricket. Test cricket is a different ball-game but there is very little Rohit Sharma can’t do. Once he gets in full flow, Rohit becomes nearly unstoppable. It doesn’t matter what format it is, he could go very big. The record for most runs in a day by a single batsman is 309 which Sir Don Bradman got in 1930. Virender Sehwag got 284 in a day against Sri Lanka in 2009. Hence, that is another record for Rohit to target. It may seem a little overboard but given Rohit’s run-scoring ability and the pace at which he scores, it isn’t totally out of reach. 3. Most sixes in an innings Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Twitter) One of Rohit Sharma’s strengths is to pull out the big shots as and when needed. He can hit sixes at will and release all the pressure. Moreover, these big shots are mostly effortless and Rohit has mastered it. He’s done it multiple times in white-ball cricket. No player has more sixes than Rohit in T20Is while only three players are ahead in the sixes race in ODI cricket. Hence, he can smoke them all around the park. He is severe against the spinners and can be equally effective against the pacers. Hence, if Rohit bats long, the sixes will come. The record for most sixes in a Test innings by a single batsman is 12 – Wasim Akram against Zimbabwe in 1996. The Indian record for the same is Navjot Singh Sidhu – 8 vs Sri Lanka in 1994. Thus, this is one of the best records Rohit can break as an opener. 4. Fastest hundred Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Twitter) With the rise of T20 cricket and so much white-ball cricket around, there is innovation in Test cricket as well now. Batsmen play different shots to get release pressure and find new ways of scoring runs. Moreover, at times, the run-scoring is very fast as well. There were certain players who just knew one way of playing, irrespective of the format and that was to go hard right from ball one. However, Rohit Sharma has both gears to his batting. He can go after the bowling right from the start or he can be cautious and then take it forward. However, he has joint-fastest T20I hundred and he has shown that he can be absolutely lethal. Thus, he could well break the fastest hundred record as an opener. If the need arises, he can go slam-bang and give his team quick runs and in the process, he could beat Brendon McCullum’s record of the fastest century which is 54 balls. Kapil Dev holds the record for India (74 balls). He could also break the fastest century by minutes record which is held by Jack Gregory (70 minutes). 5. Most Sixes off consecutive balls Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Twitter) When you think of most sixes off consecutive balls, you think of six sixes in an over. However, that landmark has never been touched in Test cricket so far. Only six players have done that in professional cricket and only two of them have done it in international cricket. None of them in Test cricket. In fact, there are only 12 players who have hit three sixes (or more) in a row in the history of Test cricket. Out of those 12, only three have been able to make it four in a row. That is the record. No player has ever hit more than four sixes in a row in Test cricket. Rohit’s ability to hit sixes at will makes him a great candidate to break this record. His aggressive approach can work in his favour and he could well go overboard and smash this record down.

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5 Records Rohit Sharma can break as Test opener

The Mumbaikar delivered in his first innings as a Test opener and has already created a massive reputation and hype around him.

5. Most Sixes off consecutive balls

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