5 challenges for India before the England tour

Rohit Sharma and his way forward in Tests

Sharma will need to show better application and make bigger contributions

Rohit Sharma may have developed into one of India's best batsmen in the limited-overs format of the game, but the same can surely not be said of his growth as a Test player.

The team management took a big gamble in South Africa, by selecting him ahead of Ajinkya Rahane in the first two Tests of the series, but that move bore little fruit as the right-hander failed to deliver in both the games.

Moving forward, if India do think of playing the additional batsman, Sharma's name will come up again for discussion and if picked again, he will need to show better application and make bigger contributions to the team's cause.

It would also help the management to have alternate options for Sharma in the number seven slot.