Rohit Sharma in action for Indian cricket team© AFP
Rohit Sharma is on the verge of claiming a sensational record as India take on New Zealand in the first Test encounter in Bengaluru starting Wednesday. Rohit has been a mainstay in the India batting line-up and the explosive batter can surpass Virender Sehwag to add another huge record to his already illustrious career. Rohit currently has 87 sixes in Tests - just three behind Sehwag (90) who holds the record of hitting the most number of sixes for India in red-ball cricket. Former India skipper MS Dhoni is third in the list with 78 while Sachin Tendulkar and Ravindra Jadeja and fourth and fifth respectively.
Most sixes for India in Test cricket:
Virender Sehwag: 90
Rohit Sharma: 87
MS Dhoni: 78
Sachin Tendulkar: 69
Ravindra Jadeja: 66
As India gears up for their three-match Test series against New Zealand, captain Rohit Sharma has made it clear that building a deep and reliable bench strength, particularly in the fast-bowling department, is a top priority.
Speaking on the eve of the first Test in Bengaluru, Rohit emphasized the importance of creating a pool of eight or nine fast bowlers who can step into the playing XI at any moment.
“We want to create a bench strength where tomorrow, if anything happens to anyone, we are not worried or too heavily reliant on a few individuals. That's not the right thing to do,” Rohit said, pointing to the need for India to move beyond relying on just a few key individuals.
His goal is to ensure that there are enough ready replacements, especially in the event of injuries, to keep the team competitive and prepared.
"We want to create guys where even if there are injuries, we have got someone to quickly step in and take that role.
"It's not about three or four options. We want to try and do that like, you know, when it comes to batting, there are a lot of options. We want to create the same with the bowlers as well."
(With IANS inputs)