Rohit Sharma fits in

Rohit Sharma is perhaps one of the most handy non-regular Test players going around, and India's most luxurious but unused option on the squad sheet when they're in the mood for a five-pronged bowling attack - which is the case on nearly all occasions at home. Hence, when they shuffled around in the Nagpur Test against Sri Lanka - with the caveat of preparing for the South Africa series where they will need an extra batsman - in came Rohit and proved that highly-reputed worth.

Rohit's inclusion in Nagpur was his first Test since October 2016, and he returned with a century at a venue that carried an amount of ill-luck for the cricketer. It was, after all, the ground where he was due to play his first Test as a 22-year-old in 2010, coming in as a replacement for an injured VVS Laxman. But, he injured himself and had to wait until 2013 to get his hands on his maiden Test cap.

"Personally for me, it [the hundred] was very important as I was playing Test cricket after nearly 500 days. I have been waiting for this opportunity and I am glad that I could put some runs on the board for myself and the team. Really happy, it was worth waiting for so long. I clearly remember this was the ground where I got injured and I had to wait three years to make my Test debut. This ground has now given me something to [make me want to] go back," Rohit had said after his hundred in Nagpur.

There's an argument to be made - and fairly so - that the second Test was perhaps the easiest (and a misleading) re-initiation for Rohit into Tests, keeping in mind the upcoming South Africa tour. The VCA surface was supposed to turn out green, but just the superficial presence of grass cover did nothing for the fast bowlers. The sun shone bright throughout and Sri Lanka were kept on the field for 176.1 overs in the first innings. But Rohit can't be faulted for digging in and taking a sumptuous bite of the pie on offer, by being one of the three centurions in the side while Virat Kohli smashed his fifth double hundred.

Rohit merely made hay when the sun shone, and that's only praiseworthy. After all, surfaces and conditions such as these come as double-edged swords for batsmen - score big, and it is discredited for the lack of challenge; fail, and questions arise about not taking the opportunity presented on a platter.

The Nagpur Test didn't quite challenge the Indian batters and they carried forward the same combination in Delhi, once again hoping for conditions to turn hostile for their batsmen and test them for one last time before the South Africa sojourn begins. It didn't, but Rohit's success across the two innings - in specific scenarios - was only testimony to his utility at No. 6.

Rohit forged partnerships with Kohli and, more importantly, showed that he could be a perfect batting option at a time when the scoring rate needed to be sped up to quicken declaration. Rohit scored his sixth 50-plus score in his last seven innings, and for the second-time in the same Test made a significant contribution in nudging the declaration score at the end.

In his time as Test captain so far, Kohli hasn't hidden his admiration for players capable of forcing the pace of the game and turning it on its head in a matter of sessions, or even lesser. That has been the line of argument to bring back and retain Shikhar Dhawan in the mix, despite technical superiority of Murali Vijay and KL Rahul. Rohit, with his recent exploits, fits that bill too.

There is no doubt that Rohit's rich vein of form comes with an asterisk mark on top. For all his consistency at home, Rohit has lowly numbers away (632 runs at an average of 26.33). Considering him for the first Test against South Africa could leave the think-tank with a few questions to answer - Can he do it on a wet, cloudy day in Cape Town? Can he showcase versatility and steer the team out of a 60 for 4 situation by grinding out? How about doing that against Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada on a seaming track?

None of the questions can be answered in the affirmative at the moment. And yet, the timing of Rohit putting his hand up and scoring all the runs is perfect. With No. 5 batsman Ajinkya Rahane enduring a mini-slump (34 runs in four Tests since the century in Colombo) and their fast-bowling all-rounder (Hardik Pandya) coming in without any Test match practice since August 2017, Rohit and his recent run of performances might just be the sort of batting cushion that Kohli would gladly fall back on in the first challenge the team faces in South Africa.