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Salman Butt has opined that the red Dukes ball will pose a challenge to Rohit Sharma as a Test opener in India squad for WTC final.
Rohit Sharma has played just one Test on English soil previously, that too as a middle-order batsman. The swashbuckling opener is expected to give the Indian team a flying start in the World Test Championship final starting from June 18 2021 as per WTC final schedule.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Salman Butt pointed out that barring a few technically sound batsmen, all players will have difficulties facing the swinging Dukes ball and Rohit Sharma is no different.
"The Dukes ball swings more after 8-9 overs and with control. If the conditions there favor swing and seam, any batsman will have problems including Rohit Sharma. You can get any player in the world. Yes, there are some players who are technically very strong, people like Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis or Sachin Tendulkar - there are other great players as well," said Butt.
The former Pakistan opener highlighted that Rohit Sharma's centuries in the 2019 World Cup came against the Kookaburra ball, which does not move as much as the Dukes one.
"Rohit Sharma is an out-and-out stroke player, who plays his beautiful shots and has scored runs everywhere. He has scored five centuries in England in the World Cup but at that time it was the white Kookaburra ball, which doesn't seam and swing that effectively as the red Dukes ball," added Butt.
Rohit Sharma smashed a record five centuries at the top of the order in the 2019 World Cup. He will hope to rekindle that form in the World Test Championship final and the five-match series against England thereafter.
"Rohit Sharma has improved his batting" - Salman Butt
While concurring with Sanjay Manjrekar's recent comments that the England tour will prove a challenge for Rohit Sharma, Salman Butt was quick to add that the Mumbaikar has improved his game by leaps and bounds.
"Sanjay Manjrekar is right that it will be a challenge but lately Rohit Sharma has improved his batting. His confidence in on a high, he has greater experience than earlier," said Butt.
The 36-year-old signed off by stating that Rohit Sharma is an intelligent cricketer and would have worked out his plans to counter the English conditions.
Catch the latest WTC final live score here.
"Rohit Sharma is a seasoned campaigner and a great captain, so he will have a great brain, if he is such a good captain he will be thinking about his game as well. So we are expecting his preparation will be good. So let's see, it will be a good contest and I feel both these teams have deservedly made the finals," concluded Butt.
Rohit Sharma has amassed 1030 runs at an excellent average of 64.37 in eleven Tests as an opener. He will hope to rise to the occasion and help India win the inaugural World Test Championship.
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