India captain Rohit Sharma had to wait for six years and feature in as many as 108 ODI matches before making a much-awaited Test debut in 2013. However, had it not been for destiny and the weird ways it sometimes operates, the moment would have easily preceded by three years.
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Eventually for his good, fate has always made Sharma dance to its tunes. Having made his limited-overs debut for India in 2007, he could only cement his place in the Indian team in 2013, after former captain MS Dhoni decided to promote him as an opening batter during the ICC Champions Trophy that year in England and Wales.
Despite having started his Test career in an ideal fashion, the Mumbai batter could only become a regular face in the Indian team in the capacity of an opener. But, the road to reach there had taken him another six years or so. Until 2018, his start-stop Test career had seen him batting between No. 3-6.
3 Years Before Test Debut, Here’s How Rohit Sharma Missed Nagpur Test vs South Africa
Sharma’s potential Test debut against South Africa in Nagpur was not on the cards as he was included in the squad only as an injury cover for batter VVS Laxman. However, having skippered the Indian Board President’s XI in the tour match against the Proteas ahead of the first Test, he was certain to make his debut in case Laxman missed out.
The moment had duly arrived, but an unfortunate injury just 15 minutes before the start of play had ruined it all. During an interaction with Gaurav Kapur in his chat show named ‘Breakfast with Champions‘, Sharma had described how the injury took place due to an innocuous throw of the ball in the air by their trainer Paddy Upton.
“Game us din khatm ho chuka tha, warm-up ke time. Hamare jo trainer the, Paddy Upton, he just threw the ball up. Mujhe pata nahi kya hua, main just catch pakadne gaya aur Wriddhiman Saha, jo vahan pe the, woh bhi saath me aa gaye. Aur mera jo left foot hai, vo unke pair pe pad gaya aur twist ho gaya, aur meri jagah unhone hi debut kiya [The game had ended that day during the warm-up session. Our trainer, Paddy Upton, just threw the ball up. I went for the catch and during the very moment, Wriddhiman Saha was besides me. Thus, my left foot landed on his foot and in the process my ankle twisted. Ultimately, he was the one who made his debut in my place].”
Saha, the reserve wicket-keeper in the squad had to play as a specialist batter in Playing XI due to Sharma’s injury. With the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid not part of the squad due to respective injuries, Subramaniam Badrinath was the other batter who had made his debut in the very match.
With no extra batter in the squad, Dhoni was asked about the same after the end of first day’s play at the VCA Stadium. He indirectly stated that the question only cropped up because Rohit’s injury occurred on the eleventh hour.
“This question should have been asked when the squad was announced. No one expected the injury to happen [to Rohit] 15 minutes before the start.”
Rohit Sharma Test Debut
Having fared decently well as an ODI opener since Champions Trophy 2013, it was his stellar performance during a seven-match home ODI series against Australia in October 2013 which helped Rohit Sharma earn a maiden Test cap a month later. The right-handed batter had amassed 491 runs at an average of 122.75, including a maiden double century in the format during the ultimate match of the series in Bengaluru.
Even during the Ranji Trophy 2012/13 season, Sharma had scored 712 runs across 10 innings for Mumbai at an exceptional average of 71.20, with the help of three centuries and two half-centuries.
As a result, it was legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar who had handed him his Test cap ahead of the first Test against West Indies at the Eden Gardens. Readers must note that Sharma had got the nod ahead of his current Test deputy Ajinkya Rahane (who was just one Test old at the time), and after all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the series due to a shoulder strain.
Batting at No.6, Sharma smashed a century (177) on his debut innings as India emerged victorious by an innings and 51 runs. During the second Test at the Wankhede Stadium, he yet again smashed a fine ton (111*) as the home side registered another win by an innings and 126 runs. With 288 runs under his name across two innings, he ended the series as its highest run-scorer.
