For Neesham, Rohit's debut as Test opener was 'ok'

Tough man to please
New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, right, has termed Rohit Sharma's exploits in the opening Test as 'ok'. File photo

Pune: Rohit Sharma marked his debut as a Test match opener with twin hundreds and shattered many records, but to New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, it was just "ok".

"I think it's fair to say he's started ok," Neesham tweeted in reply to a fan asking him to rate Rohit's debut as Test opener.

Rohit's stellar performances in India's win over South Africa in the first of the three-match Test series helped him achieve a career-best ranking of 17 in red-ball cricket.

Since being promoted to the opening slot in limited overs cricket in 2013, Rohit has established himself as one of the best players in the format but he never managed to replicate that success in Tests as a middle order and lower middle order batsman.

He was finally promoted to the top of the order ahead of the Visakhapatnam Test and went on to score 176 in the first innings and 127 in the second innings and was adjudged man of the match.

Rohit became the first batsman in the history of Test cricket to score two hundreds in his opening 'debut'.

Rohit also broke the record of most sixes in a game with 13 maximums, surpassing Pakistan great Wasim Akram who smashed 12 in a Test against Zimbabwe in 1996.

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