New Delhi: India skipper Rohit Sharma skipped the opening in the warm-up game against Australia Prime Minister’s XI being played at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. The day-night pink-ball match saw the same pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul open for India amid several reports on the team’s batting order now that Rohit and Shubman Gill are back in the squad. Notably, Rohit was named as the no. 5 batter in India’s line-up against Australia PM’s XI.
Rohit had missed the opening Test in Perth last month owing to the birth of his second child, whom he welcomed on November 15. He only joined the Indian squad on November 24, during Day 3 of the first Test at the Optus Stadium. During the game, Jasprit Bumrah was the stand-in skipper and led the team to secure an emphatic 295-run victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India’s batting order has been in discussion for quite some time because of the arrival of Rohit and Gill getting recovered from the thumb injury he sustained during the intra-squad game ahead of the Perth Test. Rohit was expected to resume his role as an opener which was temporarily filled by KL Rahul during the first Test. However, Rahul made a strong case for himself as he played a valiant knock of 77 runs in the second innings.
Rohit comes out at no. 4, goes back on 3
Rohit ultimately walked out to bat after India were one down in the PM XI clash while chasing the target of 241. However, his batting position was number 4 as KL Rahul retired hurt and walked back to the pavilion on a score of 27(44). Rohit could only score three runs off 11 deliveries before he was sent back by Charlie Anderson with the help of Oliver Davies, who caught him in the slip cordon. Rahul was hit on the lower front near his stomach while facing one of the deliveries while Jaiswal walked back on a score of 45(59).
Gill turned up as the no. 3 batter for India and showed major improvement from injury with his batting skills. He was joined by Nitish Kumar Reddy who turned up as the no. 5 batter as India scored 118/2 in 25 overs. The game was shortened to 46 overs per side as rain halted play in the early hours. It was originally a 50-overs-per-side game after Day 1 (Saturday) of the two-day warm-up game was washed out.
Rohit Sharma did not turn up as one of the openers for India in the warm-up clash against Australia PM’s XI. The pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul continued to open for India at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Sunday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
