Team India skipper Rohit Sharma is set to return to captaincy in the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Tuesday, December 26. This Boxing Day Test marks the 36-year-old’s comeback to the field after India’s emotional defeat in the 2023 World Cup final against Australia.
Ahead of the Test series in South Africa, Rohit Sharma expressed his eagerness to lead India to a historic victory. However, his personal record in Test matches in South Africa, with four matches played, reflects 123 runs at an average of 15.37.
These numbers indicate room for improvement, and the batsman is motivated to enhance his stats. During the 2013-14 series, Rohit Sharma participated in two Tests in South Africa, managing 45 runs with an average of 11.25.
Batting in the middle order, he faced challenges in the Johannesburg Test, being dismissed for 14 and 6. In Durban, he faced further difficulties, getting a golden duck from Dale Steyn in the first innings and falling lbw to Vernon Philander for 25 in the second innings.
In the 2017/18 tour of South Africa, Rohit Sharma played two Tests, registering 78 runs with an average of 19.50. He faced challenges in the first Test in Cape Town, being dismissed for 11 and 10, falling to Kagiso Rabada in the first innings and Philander in the second.
During the second Test in Centurion, Rohit Sharma recorded scores of 10 and 47. His second innings 47, comprising six fours and a six off 74 balls, stands as his highest Test score in South Africa.
Unfortunately, he fell short of a half-century, top-edging a hook off Rabada. Rohit was sidelined during the 2021-22 Test series in South Africa due to a hamstring injury.
Rohit Sharma’s overall Test performance against South Africa
In total, the 36-year-old has participated in nine Tests against South Africa, accumulating 678 runs at an average of 42.37, including three centuries. All three of his centuries were achieved during the home series in 2019/20, where he amassed 529 runs in three Tests with an exceptional average of 132.25.
Rohit Sharma recorded scores of 176 and 127 in the initial Test in Visakhapatnam, followed by a remarkable 212 off 255 balls in Ranchi during the third Test of the series. His innings, which included 28 fours and six sixes, contributed to India’s commanding innings and a 202-run triumph.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.