Sourav Ganguly backs Rohit Sharma to replace KL Rahul as Test opener

What's the story?

KL Rahul's poor returns in the recently concluded Test series against West Indies have drawn a lot of criticism from former players. Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly has questioned Rahul's place in the side and is in favor of Rohit Sharma opening the batting in the longest format.

In case you didn't know...

KL Rahul managed to score just 101 runs in the 2-match Test series against West Indies. Moreover, the right-hand batsman has failed to cross the fifty-run mark in his last 12 Test innings. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma, who is perhaps in the form of his life, has been kept out of the playing XI.

The heart of the matter

Sourav Ganguly expressed his views about the performances of the Indian openers in the Test series in his column for Times of India. Ganguly wrote, "The opening still remains an area to work on. Mayank Agarwal looks good but will need a few more opportunities. His partner, KL Rahul, though, has flattered to deceive and that creates an opening at the top."

The former Indian skipper once again advocated the inclusion of Rohit Sharma as an opener in the Test side. "I had suggested earlier about trying Rohit Sharma as an opener in Test cricket and I still believe that he needs to be given an opportunity because he is too good a player to be left out in the cold. After a fantastic World Cup, I believe he will be itching to grab the opportunity to open in Tests. With Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari settling in nicely, there is not much left to play around in the middle order," Ganguly explained.

What's next?

KL Rahul seems to be running out of time and if he cannot improve on his performances in the Test series against South Africa, he is in danger of losing his place in the Test side to the in-form Rohit Sharma.

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