New Delhi: Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s return to the Test setup wasn’t ideal after the national team was vanquished in the recent concluded pink-ball Test match at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday. Australia outplayed Rohit’s men to wrap the game within three days, inscribing an emphatic 10-wicket victory to continue their supremacy in the day-night format as they make it eight out of eight wins in Adelaide.
Rohit, who opted to demote himself in the middle order, didn’t enjoy any decent outings in the middle. He made just three and six runs in both innings while getting out to Scott Boland and Pat Cummins. The similar feature in both the dismissals was that the Indian skipper missed to read the lengths. He was pinned before the wickets by Boland and the top of the off-stump was knocked by Cummins.
Rohit’s decision to change his batting position came on the back of the 201-run opening stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul in the second innings of Perth. The Indian captain didn’t wanted to change the buoyant pair, and hence, slotted himself to bat at No.6 in Adelaide.
Former Indian cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri observed that Rohit was a bit ‘subdued’ with the change in batting order. He asked the 37-year-old to return to the top order and felt he lacked aggression.
“That’s the reason I want him at the top. That’s where he can be aggressive and expressive. Just thought he was a little too subdued, just seeing his body language,” Shastri told ‘Star Sports’.
“The fact that he didn’t make runs, I don’t think there was enough on the field there. I just wanted to see him more involved, and a little more animated,” the former coach added.
Gavaskar reiterates Shastri’s thoughts on Rohit Sharma’s batting position
Sunil Gavaskar had a similar thoughts on Rohit’s change in batting position just like Shastri. The 1983 World Cup winner wants KL Rahul to go back to the middle order after the latter scored 37 and seven runs, respectively.
“He should return to his regular spot. We should remember why Rahul had opened. He did that because Rohit Sharma was not available for the first Test,” Gavaskar said on ‘Sports Tak’.
“I can understand why they kept him as an opener in the second Test, he had a 200-plus partnership with Jaiswal.
“But now that he couldn’t score this Test, I feel Rahul should go back to No. 5 or No.6 and Rohit Sharma should open. If Rohit scores quickly in the beginning, then he can score a big century also later,” he added.
India and Australia will play the third Test match in Brisbane between December 14 and 19.
Rohit Sharma’s recent poor performance in the Adelaide Test, marked by low scores and a change in batting position, has sparked debate. Former cricketers Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar both advocate for his return to the opening slot, citing his lack of aggression in the middle order. This shift followed a successful opening partnership in Perth, but questions remain about the optimal batting order for the upcoming Brisbane Test. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
