Leg and Off: Should India shift Rohit Sharma back to opening for 3rd BGT 2024-25 Test?
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has dominated the headlines since he arrived in Australia before the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Adelaide. Rohit's ideal batting position in the wake of India's memorable first Test win and his own poor recent form was discussed by everyone concerned until the eve of the Adelaide Test.
Unfortunately, three days and a massive 10-wicket defeat for India later, those talks have only multifolded. Rohit batted at No. 6 in Adelaide, allowing the match-winning partnership from the first Test, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, to continue.
However, with scores of 3 and 6, as India failed to cross the 200-run mark in both innings, Rohit's batting position has again come under heavy scrutiny.
Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar called for Rohit to return to the top in the subsequent Brisbane Test.
“Now 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," said Gavaskar on SportsTak.
While India has several other hurdles to overcome in the Brisbane Test, their biggest headache remains Rohit's ideal position for his and the team's best chance to succeed.
On that note, here are a few factors the Indian team management can consider before finalizing their batting order and Rohit's position for the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test.
#1 How much can a one-off pink-ball Test be factored in?
Is allowing one game, a one-off pink-ball Test in that, to change whatever led to their initial decision of Rohit Sharma at No. 6 a logical move? Or is it just a knee-jerk reaction to a crushing defeat?
These are the questions the Indian think tank must ponder before possibly moving Rohit back to the top of the order. A pink-ball D/N Test in Adelaide often catches visiting teams napping due to their lack of experience under several unique circumstances if offers.
Yes, India's batting appeared futile in both innings and neither Rahul nor Rohit scored much. However, their lack of exposure to the pink ball could have played a major role, something India must account for.
With the next three Tests in a more normal setting, India might be better served resisting the temptation to move Rohit back at the top based on a one-off pink-ball game.
Verdict: Rahul on top with Rohit in the middle-order to continue
#2 Will Rohit at the top solve his or India's overall batting issues?
Will Rohit Sharma's move back to the top potentially benefit himself and the team or be a case of 'Change for the sake of change'? The 37-year-old wasn't setting the world on fire as an opener before the Australia series, averaging a dismal 13.30 in his previous 10 Test innings.
Rohit has also never tasted considerable success in the red-ball format in Australia, evidenced by a sub-par average of 27.80 in 16 innings. Thus, there is no recent or overall evidence that opening will solve his and India's batting issues in Brisbane.
Furthermore, KL Rahul has survived the challenging new-ball period in three of the four innings on challenging pitches in the ongoing series. His 64-ball stay in the first innings ensured India's middle order had to combat only the old ball, which they failed to do.
This is apart from Rahul's brilliant 77 in the second innings of the opening Test that played a massive role in India's huge total and subsequent 295-run win.
Hence, with the above facts, neither Rohit's shift to opening nor Rahul's demotion makes any sense under the current circumstances.
Verdict: Continue with Rahul as the opener instead of Rohit
#3 'Familiarity' factor that may work in Rohit and India's favor
While the Aussies famously created narratives around how minimizing an opposition captain's output subsequently dooms the side, the truth around it cannot be completely dismissed.
Team India and their players undoubtedly enjoy some comfort when their skipper Rohit Sharma walks out at the top of the order. After all, he has opened the batting in the white-ball formats for over a decade and has done the same in Tests since 2019 before the Adelaide outing.
While Rahul might be better suited technically to combat the new ball, Rohit's counter-attacking methods at the top have reaped success across formats for India over the past two years.
Rohit's move to the top could also help Rahul utilize his seemingly excellent ball better against an older ball in better batting conditions. Hence, from an intangible point of view, Rohit shifting back to his tried and tested opening spot might be what the doctor ordered for Team India to mentally go at the Aussie bowlers in the remaining three Tests.
Verdict: Rohit's opening could help Team India psychologically and in terms of a more winning approach with the bat
Conclusion
In conclusion, Rohit Sharma might be better off continuing in the middle-order with KL Rahul partnering Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top, given his recent struggles and overall poor record in Australia. However, for achieving better intangibles like 'confidence', 'mentality', and 'approach', the skipper at the top might be the way forward.
Nevertheless, making the shift after one pink-ball Test that can be dismissed as an aberration should be avoided.