'Mentally challenging and draining' - Rohit Sharma reveals prerequisites to play Tests

Renowned Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma recently spoke on the various challenges related to playing the longest format of the game and the importance of mental strength and concentration to continue playing it. Rohit retired from the red-ball format in May earlier this year, after representing the Indian team in 67 Tests, captaining in 24 of them.

Rohit acknowledged that the red-ball format of the game 'challenging' and 'draining' on him when his career was on the rise. However, he further revealed how the cricket culture in Mumbai helped him build that early endurance and contributed heavily to his Test career afterwards.

“It is something that you prepare for, because the game demands longevity. Especially in the Test format, you have to last for five days. Mentally, it is very challenging and it is draining as well. But all cricketers have been brought up playing First-Class cricket. When we start playing cricket at a competitive level, even in Mumbai, club cricket (matches) go on for two days (or) three days, so we are built like that and it starts at a very young age for us. It kind of makes it a little easier on how to respond to situations that are there in front of you," stated Rohit, as quoted by The Telegraph.

The 38-year-old revealed that realizing the importance of discipline comes with time. He also revealed that being 'mentally fresh' is one of the important building blocks for having a career in which performances can be given at the maximum intensity for the majority of the time, without compromising on the output.    

"When you are very young, you don’t understand the importance of preparation. As you go along, you understand, it gives you a kind of discipline that the game asks for, so it starts with preparation, understanding what exactly you need to do. It takes a lot when you’re playing the longest format and concentration is something that is the key, because you are speaking about high-level performance and when you are expecting to put in high-level performance, it starts with being mentally fresh all the time,” he said.

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Rohit further remarked on the importance of adapting to different sorts of situations while playing Test cricket. He advised cricketers playing the format to break an entire day's play into three sessions and take it from there. 

“There are three sessions in a day and there are breaks after an hour. You kind of break it into those halves and then you keep moving forward. It requires a lot of concentration in your batting because obviously the bowlers are bowling at you, there are a lot of different types of bowlers who will come and bowl at you, challenge you. You’ve got to mentally keep talking to yourself. If it’s a spinner, how am I going to play, if it’s a fast bowler, how am supposed to play. That obviously requires a lot of concentration," he added.

Rohit played 67 matches in red-ball internationals for India. He registered 4301 runs in 116 innings at an average of 40.57. The Nagpur-born scored 18 fifties and 12 hundreds in the format. The ace batter had already retired from T20Is before hanging up his boots from Tests, while still continuing to represent and lead the Men in Blue in One-Day Internationals.