Virat Kohli developed India's bowling strength, won't be difficult for Rohit Sharma to succeed as Test captain: Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir feels that it would not be too much of a challenge for India’s newly appointed Test skipper Rohit Sharma to win games, given the bowling strength that India’s outgoing captain Virat Kohli had developed in his time as the red-ball skipper.

He further reiterated the popular notion that bowlers win the team games with batters only setting up the platform. The former opening batter also believes that India possess a very strong bowling attack in pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami along with the experienced spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Gambhir further talked about Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara being left out of the recent squad, owing to their scratchy form by stating that incoming players like Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer are more than capable to fill the void that the senior batters have left. While Vihari has done well for India so far in the limited opportunities he has got, Iyer started his Test career with a century on debut against New Zealand.

“I don’t think so. Because it won’t be a big challenge for Rohit Sharma in red-ball cricket. If you talk about Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinka Rahane, you have experienced players like Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer who can replace them. Iyer had made a bright start to Test cricket,” Gambhir said on the pre-match show on Star Sports.

“When you have Ashwin, Jadeja, Shami, Bumrah, then it doesn’t get (difficult). Bowlers win you matches, batters only set the match up. Virat Kohli has developed India’s bowling strength, so I don’t think it should be difficult for Rohit Sharma in red-ball cricket,” he added.

In India you can set the game if you bat first: Gautam Gambhir

The veteran cricketer also suggested it is easier for a captain to lead in familiar home conditions as batting first usually sets the tone in India. Notably, Sharma’s first-ever Test assignment is at home against Sri Lanka in a three-match series.

The surfaces in the subcontinent usually start to wear as the game progresses thus most captains are usually keen on batting first. Gambhir thus feels, the Indian captain will be better off starting at home than abroad as the conditions overseas are a bit harder to tackle.

“In India, it’s comparatively easier. You win the toss and bat. Overseas, it gets difficult because the condition is challenging. Here, you know you can set the game if you bat first,” added Gambhir.