Rohit Gurunath Sharma -- a talent which is pure, unprecedented and arguably one of the best! But to excel at the highest level talent alone does not suffice, one needs to perform and make the best use of that talent. One needs to convert the potential energy into kinetic energy because just having potential is not enough in the world of international sports. And because talent alone does not suffice, it needs to be backed up by performances. Being as talented as Rohit Sharma is, was not enough for the man to stay nine long years (many more to come, hopefully!) in International Cricket.

In the initial stage of Rohit’s career he failed to impress anyone, leaving his rare batting genius against Australia. While there was no doubt about his talents, the skipper and the selectors gave him an extended run despite regular failures. He was given many chances, though his position wasn’t fixed in the team and he kept getting in and out of the squad. Prior to 2013 (already 6 years after his international debut), Rohit opened only thrice scoring in total only 29 runs off 59 balls, at an average of 9.66 and a strike rate of 49 - and the experiment was quickly discontinued when Rohit returned to the team after missing the 2011 World Cup.

And then came 2013, the year that turned around the tables for the man and suddenly MSD (Dhoni) and selectors who were criticized for having him in the squad began to be appreciated for showing faith in him long enough. In 2013, he was offered the opening slot once again and after that he hasn’t looked back in the limited overs format. From being someone who was criticized for his lazy approach to batting and being inconsistent, he is now said to have that lazy elegance and much needed consistency which is required at the highest level. Apart from them the responsibility of captaining the Mumbai Indians side in the IPL has helped in maintaining a calmer and wiser head on his shoulders. After 2013, the numbers speak for the talent we all knew he had within him.

But what happens to Rohit Sharma in whites? What happens to the talent in the oldest form of the game? Rohit hasn’t really liked the format or atleast the statistics speak so. Leaving beside his first two innings against the West Indies he hasn’t produced any knock of great significance. Will his Test Career take a U-Turn like in the limited format, though the possibility is there, yet the probability is less because unlike in ODIs, Rohit has failed to perform well at the top of the order in Tests coming ahead of someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, who according to experts is a better Test player. It’s now or never for Rohit Sharma! His selection for the New Zealand Series comes as a shock to many. And if Rohit chooses to answer with his bat it would be one of the most romantic affairs of world cricket just for the kind of batsmanship he brings to the game.