Wanted to be an opener like Rohit Sharma: Sunil Gavaskar

Former Indian batting giant, Sunil Manohar Gavaskar is in absolute awe of Rohit Sharma’s power-hitting ability. The latter started his career in the middle order but he started opening from 2013 onwards in Champions Trophy and there is no point denying that he became a completely different batsman once he started opening the innings for India in limited over format.

As an opener in ODI cricket, the right-hander averages a stunning 58.11, scoring 7,148 runs with a top score of 264 against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

With he is a batting brilliance in white-ball cricket, he was also given a chance last year to open in the longest format of the game and he didn’t let down the team and scored 556 runs against South Africa at a batting average of 92.66 with his highest total being 212 runs against Proteas in Ranchi.

Gavaskar was the first player who scored 10,000 Test runs and said that he wished that during his playing days he had the same style that Rohit Sharma possesses at the moment. He said these words while talking to India today special series called as “The Inspiration”.

“The way you see a Rohit Sharma opening the batting in one-day cricket, Test cricket smashing from the first over. That is what I wanted to play. Circumstances and, of course, lack of confidence in my ability did not allow me to do that.

“But when I see the next generation doing it, I am absolutely over the moon, I love watching the next generation because there you see progress. You see how they are setting the bar higher for the next generation,” Gavaskar said.

Rohit recently received Khel Ratna Award for his amazing performance in white-ball cricket from the last few years. His record of scoring 5 centuries in recently held 50 over world cup in England as an opener will not be easy for any opening batsman to break in upcoming world cups.

Little Master also praised the current Indian Test lineup where he specifically talked about Indian bowling who have performed extremely well in away conditions too.

“I believe this team is the best ever Indian Test team in terms of balance, in terms of ability, in terms of skills, in terms of temperament. Can’t think of a better Indian Test team. This team has the attack to win on any surface. It doesn’t need any help [from] conditions. They can win on any surface,” he added.