record Rohit looking to set straight in Rainbow nation

The manner in which Rohit Sharma has gone about overcoming various odds and different conditions on way to becoming a solid all-format player has been impressive to say the least. The numbers bear testament to his class - he has played 462 international matches with 18,239 runs and 45 hundreds.

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However, one challenge remains scoring runs in South Africa against the red ball. On two earlier tours in 2013-14 and 2017-18, in eight innings he averaged 15.38 with 47 as the highest score.

The last time he played in South Africa in 2017-18, he was written off as someone who wasn't meant for Test cricket in challenging, seaming conditions after a sequence of 1, 10, 10 and 47 with Kagiso Rabada claiming his wicket three times.

That poor run of form cost him a place for the subsequent five-Test series in England. But the batter kept his self-belief and didn't give up. He had reacted to his exclusion with a statement on the social media.

platform formerly known as Twitter "Sun will rise again tomorrow." In South Africa, the pitches tend to have spongy bounce, and it's difficult to get on top of it against their tall bowlers. You can put in a disciplined effort, cover your off-stump and survive the moving ball with tight defence but when the ball rears off short of a length towards your throat, luck and quick reflexes become vital.