Difficult to fill in for Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane but at times we need to look forward: Rohit Sharma

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane's service to Indian cricket isn't easy to match but there comes a point when one needs to look forward and give the younger crop a fair run at the Test level, new captain Rohit Sharma said on Thursday. Rahane, with 82 games, and Pujara, with 95 games, have been dropped from the Test squad for the Sri Lanka series and Rohit made it clear that the likes of Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer need to be backed for a solid run. "Look these are big shoes to fill in.

It's never easy for the guys coming in. Even I don't know who's coming in place of Pujara and Rahane. So we have to wait till tomorrow morning to see who's going to play," Rohit answered to a question on the impact of the senior duo's absence from the team.

For Rohit, their and Ishant Sharma's (100 plus games) contribution to India's ascendancy in traditional format is immense. "You can't put it in words you know, years of hard work, playing 80, 90 Tests, respectively in all those overseas Tests, India getting to No.1, these guys helped us and played a massive part in that. So there's no such thing that these guys are not being looked upon, and they will definitely be part of our plans," the skipper said.

"It's just for now, we didn't consider that but there is no written guarantee that they will not be considered in future series or thereafter," he tried to be measured with his words but he too knows that perhaps the train has left the station for the duo. So how will the new players cope up with the rigours? The skipper feels it will be challenging but they will get their fair share of chances. "Look whenever there are changes in the squad, there is always a fresh start for guys that are coming in.