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Rohit breaks into the top 5 Test batting rankings

By Mumbai Indians

Indian opener and Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma touched his career best Test ranking on September 1st, 2021, a day before India take on England at the Oval in the fourth Test.

Rohit overtook his Indian skipper Virat Kohli to break into the Test top five for the first time in his career. His aggregate score of 773 points after a half century in the third Test at Leeds earned him the fifth place on the rankings’ chart.

England captain Joe Root, who is on an exceptional run of centuries, stands at the top of the list, with a rating of 901. He started at the fifth place, but his 507 runs in the three Tests against India  allowed him to go beyond Virat Kohli, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson.

Rohit Sharma’s progression in Tests

Never a first choice Test opener, questioned for his Test strategies, and forever being called a white ball specialist, Rohit has now put his critics to rest. However, his climb through the ranks has come with a quick acceleration, impressing one and all.

Rohit made his Test debut at Eden Gardens in 2013. However, it is over the last five years that he has been a more integral part of the Test team.

In 2017, Rohit stood far behind from where he is now - at the 40th rank. In 2018, he ended at the 42nd position. The real rise was after this point in his Test career. In the next one year, he took in all the opportunities he got in Tests, and drew up memorable performances, to break into the top-10 for the first time.

On October 5th, 2019, Rohit scripted history by becoming the first batter to score two centuries in a match in their first appearance as an opener, playing against South Africa in Visakhapatnam. His 176 in the first innings and 127 in the next ensured that all doubts of fans and critics about the Hitman opening in Tests were put to rest.

He also went on to break the record for most sixes by an Indian in a Test in that very game. 2019 ended with Rohit being placed 10th.

However, a setback was in store for Rohit yet again. An injury forced him to sit out for what few of the World Test Championship tours that were played - especially the New Zealand tour, where India had a forgettable outing. Rohit ended 2020 ranked 14th.

Come 2021, and Rohit showed no signs of slowing down. He had a great series on England's tour of India, scoring 161, 66 and 49 across the games. Now, on India’s tour of England, he etched two mature and well-timed half centuries that helped him leap into the top-five ranks for the first time in his career.

Rohit’s Test graph has been nothing short of exponential. Whites, Blue, or Blue and Gold, the Hitman has always been a pleasure to watch!