No one’s got a clue where Rohit Sharma will bat in the India vs Australia 2nd Test. As the highest-scorer for the side since 2019, you’d expect him to return to his opening spot, but given how well KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal did, do you push one of them down the order? They were the major reason why Team India went on to score nearly 500 runs in the second innings of the Perth Test.
KL Rahul & Yashasvi Jaiswal should open in Adelaide
Maybe Rohit Sharma the batter would be suited to open, but what about Rohit Sharma the captain? His job as the leader of the side is to look out for everyone else. Others’ interest over his. Former Mumbai cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels it’ll be best for the Indian captain to bat down the order at 5 or 6, replacing Dhruv Jurel.
“It makes a lot of sense (for Rohit Sharma to bat at 5-6). Just imagine, the first-ever 200+ partnership for the opening wicket in Australia, and we saw the result as well. I doubt whether this team management, which is actually thinking cricket logic and currently picking someone like Washi (Washington Sundar) over Ashwin and Jadeja, will again go by stature and incumbency senior iconic player at the top; they’ll go by common sense and the current reality. Rohit Sharma is somebody who’d himself volunteer as captain. It’s the right move to make the most of what’s you have gained from the 2nd innings (of the Perth Test),” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo.
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Shubman Gill at 5-6, not Rohit Sharma?
Asked whether Shubman Gill, who’ll return to the side for the Pink Ball Test, should move down the order instead of Rohit, Manjrekar said no. His reasoning was simple: Gill has finally found himself at the number three position, and tinkering with it might hurt him more than Rohit playing at 5 or 6. The Indian had started his Test career at 6 and even scored a hundred on debut, and it would feel like riding a bicycle for him.
“I think Gill considering he’s playing his first Test match of the series. That number (3) would actually ensure chances of contribution from him. For Rohit Sharma it won’t be a massive difference from opening the innings and batting at 3,” Manjrekar added.
Rohit Sharma Test record at different batting positions
| Position | Span | Innings | Runs | High Score | Average | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2021-24 | 29 | 1226 | 161 | 43.78 | 3 | 5 |
| 2nd | 2019-24 | 35 | 1459 | 212 | 44.21 | 6 | 3 |
| 3rd | 2015 | 5 | 107 | 53 | 21.40 | 0 | 1 |
| 4th | 2015 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4.00 | 0 | 0 |
| 5th | 2013-18 | 16 | 437 | 79 | 29.13 | 0 | 3 |
| 6th | 2013-18 | 25 | 1037 | 177 | 54.57 | 3 | 6 |
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