Despite India being a dominant force in Test cricket and despite the fact that they are ranked number 1 in the format, there is a huge concern over the position of the opener. Mayank Agarwal has been consistent ever since he made his debut, but the same cannot be said about KL Rahul, who has struggled to hit his stride.
Suggestions have been made with respect to looking for a new opener and now the chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad, too has conceded that they are looking at Rohit Sharma to take up the mantle as an opener in Test cricket for Team India.
"As selection committee, we haven't met after the conclusion of the West Indies tour. We will definitely take this (Rohit as an opener) point into consideration when we all meet and discuss it," MSK Prasad told India Today.
'Rahul is a great talent'
Prasad has also said that Rahul is a great talent, but now he needed to hang in and find form. "KL (Rahul) is definitely a great talent. Of course, he is going through a bit tough time in Test cricket. We are definitely concerned about his form. He needs to spend more time on the wicket and regain his touch and form," he further added.
This statement comes after former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly too threw his weight behind Rohit being tried as the opener, primarily because of the fact that Rahul has struggled to find form. Ganguly also believed that Rohit was too good of a player not be getting picked in the Test side.
"I had suggested earlier about trying Rohit Sharma as an opener in Test cricket and I still believe that he needs to be given an opportunity because he is too good a player to be left out in the cold," Sourav Ganguly wrote in his column for The Times of India.
However, Anil Kumble does not believe Rohit as an opener might be a well-thought-out move. Instead, he wanted the selectors to look at a consistent performer in the domestic circuit.
"You only know when you actually do that but I am not really sure about pushing Rohit at the top unless it is a desperate situation. Yes, are we in a desperate situation where we are looking for an opener in someone who has done well at the domestic level, is it worth considering," Kumble said.
