The stage is set and Rohit Sharma has decided that he will not open for the India Cricket Team in the IND vs AUS 2nd Test. In fact, it will be KL Rahul who will open proceedings for the visitors like he did in the Perth Test. Rohit has clarified that he will slot in the middle order. So now we check what would be the best and ideal batting position for Rohit Sharma in the Pink Ball Adelaide Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
“KL will open the innings and I will play somewhere in the middle. Not easy for me but it’s the best for the team,” Rohit told reporters on the eve of the second Test. What KL has shown outside India, he deserves that place (opening slot),” Rohit Sharma said in the pre-match press conference.
Number 5 or Number 6?
As things stand, Rohit Sharma won’t essentially be a middle-order batter. He will have to slot in as a lower middle-order batter in the India Playing XI. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal will be the two openers as Shubman Gill will slot in at number 3. Ace batter Virat Kohli will retain his preferred number 4 spot.
This leaves the choice at number 5 and number 6. Looking at the team combination, Rishabh Pant is best suited at number 5. Pant batting before Rohit brings in the right-left-handed combination. As per stats, Rohit’s best position will be at number 6.
Rohit Sharma batting position in Test Cricket
| Position | Inns | NO | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | HS | Runs | Avg | S/R |
| Opening | 64 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 319 | 56 | 212 | 2685 | 44.02 | 59.05 |
| 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 53 | 107 | 21.40 | 41.63 |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4.00 | 25.00 |
| 5 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 10 | 79 | 437 | 29.13 | 48.56 |
| 6 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 103 | 21 | 177 | 1037 | 54.58 | 60.71 |
| Overall | 111 | 10 | 12 | 18 | 470 | 91 | 212 | 4270 | 42.28 | 57.49 |
Rohit Sharma started his career as a middle-order batter and in Tests, he has played decently down the order. In his 25 innings batting at 6, he has gone on to notch up 3 centuries and 6 fifties. In fact, apart from the opening position, he has scored the most runs at 6, a whopping 1037 runs with his best Test average of 54.58 and his highest strike rate of 60.71.
This goes on to prove that Rohit should ideally take the number 6 position since he has sacrificed his opening spot to KL Rahul. While this move seems quite bold, it remains to be seen what unfolds in Adelaide. Maybe a change in batting position can set Rohit back in the groove, who knows?
