"If Rohit Sharma is able to conquer South Africa, his name will be kept top-most in India's cricket history as captain and player" - Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan has said that Rohit Sharma's name will be at the very top of the annals of Indian cricket if he leads them to a Test series win in South Africa.

The Men in Blue are currently in South Africa for three T20Is and as many ODIs, with the first game getting washed out on Sunday. They will then face the Proteas in a two-Test series, with Rohit leading the side after being rested for the white-ball leg of the tour.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Pathan was asked whether Rohit would have started preparing mentally for the South African challenge as a batter, to which he responded:

"If Rohit Sharma is able to conquer South Africa, his name will be kept top-most in India's cricket history as captain and player because he only has the key to wins in both these matches."

The former India all-rounder feels Rohit can make the other batters' tasks easier in the Rainbow Nation. He explained:

"He is both an opener and a captain. If you play out the new ball, your other batters will get the chance to shine. That's why you should remove the shine from the new ball."

Rohit has amassed 678 runs at a decent average of 42.37 in nine Tests against South Africa. However, he has managed only 123 runs at a paltry average of 15.37 in four Tests in South Africa and will hope to give a better account of himself this time around.

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"You will see Rohit Sharma preparing with the same passion" - Irfan Pathan expects Indian skipper to be as ready for South Africa as he was for England

Rohit Sharma excelled as an opener on India's 2021 tour of England.

Irfan Pathan expects Rohit Sharma to prepare as diligently for South Africa as he did for England. He said:

"He went fully prepared and batted amazingly in the Test series when he went to England. I feel you will see Rohit Sharma preparing with the same passion before he goes. Rohit's challenge will be to play out the new ball, score his runs and take his team forward."

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Virat Kohli will also have to shoulder responsibilities alongside Rohit. He elaborated:

"He is going to wear a lot of hats and only the most experienced player in your team is capable of wearing so many hats. We have two big brothers in this team - Rohit and Virat Kohli. There will be a lot of dependency on both of them."

Kohli, unlike Rohit, enjoys an excellent record in South Africa. He has amassed 719 runs, including two hundreds, at an impressive average of 51.35 in seven Tests.