"He will be opening the innings, and I will bat somewhere in the middle" - Rohit Sharma confirms KL Rahul's batting position for 2nd 2024-25 BGT Test
Team India skipper Rohit Sharma is set to bat in the middle order in Tests for the first time since 2018 as he is set for a revamped role in the upcoming second Border-Gavaskar Trophy contest in Adelaide. The returning figure confirmed that KL Rahul will continue at the top of the order after his impressive match-winning outings in the series opener in Perth.
The availability of Rohit and Shubman Gill led to a certain degree of uncertainty regarding the batting order. Rahul made a strong case with his recent form and overseas Test record at the top. The pink ball warm-up clash against the Prime Minister's XI proved a huge indicator as Rahul opened the innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal, while Rohit played at No.4 in Virat Kohli's absence.
KL Rahul revealed during a press conference on Wednesday, December 4, that he had been informed of his batting position, but refused to divulge it at that moment.
“He will be opening the innings, and I will bat somewhere in the middle," Rohit Sharma said during the pre-match press conference in Adelaide on Thursday.
“The way KL batted, I was watching from home with a newborn baby in my arms. He played brilliantly, so there is no need to change now; things might be different in the future—the way KL bats overseas, so he deserves that spot at this point in time," he added
Rohit Sharma began his Test career as a middle-order batter, playing 27 Tests across several different positions, before his career-defining switch to the top of the order in 2019.
"Personally, it wasn’t easy as a batsman but for the team, it was an easy decision to make" - Rohit Sharma on sticking with KL Rahul as opener
KL Rahul displayed exemplary technique and temperament to survive the new ball charge by a potent pace attack on a fiery Perth surface. He was the victim of an unfortunate and controversial dismissal in the first innings. But Rahul scored a fifty the second time around, putting up 201 runs for the first wicket alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
"The way he batted and his partnership with Jaiswal was instrumental in that first test win. The way he has batted outside India, he deserves it. I will bat somewhere in the middle. It was a fairly simple decision. Personally, it wasn’t easy (as a batsman) but for the team, it was an easy decision to make," Rohit added in the same presser.
The second Test between India and Australia is scheduled to begin on Friday, December 6, at the Adelaide Oval. The Men in Blue head into the clash with a 1-0 lead.