After a memorable win in Perth, the next assignment for the India Cricket Team is the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide. And Rohit Sharma will be back for his side. The Hitman missed the previous game as he was with his family to attend the birth of his second child. And now, he is ready to lead India again starting from 6th December.
Given how things stand, it just might not be a good thing for Rohit Sharma to play the IND vs AUS 2nd Test in Adelaide. The team is already set with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal opening the innings for India. Interestingly, under Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy, the visitors didn’t look clueless for one single second.
Poor form in Test Cricket
Rohit Sharma has been struggling with form in red-ball cricket throughout the entire 2024 calendar year. Virat Kohli was a similar case, be he redeemed himself with a brilliant unbeaten ton in the second innings of the Perth Test. The same can’t be said with surety for Rohit Sharma.
Rohit had his first taste of the Aussie pitch and conditions in the warm-up match against Prime Minister XI. He came to bat at number 4, and survived for just 11 balls, scoring 3 runs in the process. In the entire 2024 Calendar year, he has 2 Test tons and 2 fifties.
Rohit Sharma managed just two centuries against England, in Rajkot and Dharamshala. His latest fifty in Tests came against New Zealand in Pune. For the past couple of innings, he has been a walking wicket when coming out to bat.
Rohit Sharma in Test Cricket in 2024
| 1st Innings | 2nd Innings | Total | Opponent | Ground | Date |
| 39 | 16* | 55 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 3 Jan 2024 |
| 24 | 39 | 63 | v England | Hyderabad | 25 Jan 2024 |
| 14 | 13 | 27 | v England | Visakhapatnam | 2 Feb 2024 |
| 131 | 19 | 150 | v England | Rajkot | 15 Feb 2024 |
| 2 | 55 | 57 | v England | Ranchi | 23 Feb 2024 |
| 103 | – | 103 | v England | Dharamsala | 7 Mar 2024 |
| 6 | 5 | 11 | v Bangladesh | Chennai | 19 Sep 2024 |
| 23 | 8 | 31 | v Bangladesh | Kanpur | 27 Sep 2024 |
| 2 | 52 | 54 | v New Zealand | Bengaluru | 16 Oct 2024 |
| 0 | 8 | 8 | v New Zealand | Pune | 24 Oct 2024 |
| 18 | 11 | 29 | v New Zealand | Wankhede | 1 Nov 2024 |
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No need to change set combination
As things stand, India heroically defeated Australia in the opening Test in Perth. And now there is absolutely no need to change the set combination. The only solitary change can be in the form of Shubman Gill returning to Number 3 in place of Devdutt Padikkal who was horrendous in the opening game.
The inclusion of Rohit Sharma means KL Rahul who played brilliantly as an opener will again have to move down the order at number 5 or 6. Shubman Gill naturally retains his spot. This means, KL Rahul will have to take the place of Dhruv Jurel down the order. Too many hasty changes can prove to be an error for this team.
