Simon Doull hails 'Selfless' Rohit Sharma ahead of South Africa Tests

After a thrilling white-ball leg of the tour, India and South Africa are now all set for the all-important Test series which will get underway on Boxing Day at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. The series is sure to be a spectacle of the highest order as India and South Africa are one of the best teams in the format. They also have a storied history which makes this a highly anticipated battle for fans.

For India, history beckons as they have never won a Test series in the Rainbow Nation. India came close to beating the Proteas on the last couple of tours but eventually fumbled. The last tour in particular was a disappointing one as India won the first Test and South Africa were not at their best. Still, the Proteas managed to win the last couple of games and clinch the series 2-1. 

As India tries to do a first, all eyes will be on Indian skipper Rohit Sharma who will be back in action for the first time since that fateful night of November 19. Rohit received a lot of plaudits for the way he led India throughout the World Cup and he will now look to create the same magic in the red-ball format.

"He has probably been the most selfless Indian cricketer"

Ahead of the series, Rohit has received rich praise from former New Zealand bowler and current broadcaster, Simon Doull. He lauded Rohit for being selfless and for setting an example for his teammates. "The one thing I have observed about Rohit Sharma in the last 10-18 months is that he has probably been the most selfless Indian cricketer I have seen in a long, long time. He has done everything he possibly could for his team to win. He made this team, he played in a certain way to allow the others in the team to be able to play the way they play, in white-ball cricket in particular," he said.

Doull acknowledged that he would have to temper his game due to the change in format but hoped to see Rohit bat in his usual aggressive style. "In the World Cup, we saw that he set the tone at the top of the order, which allowed the middle order to play the way they played. So, it's a slight change for him, not too much. I still want him to be that aggressive Rohit Sharma," he added.