“Rohit Sharma hasn’t played any serious cricket for more than a month” - Indian legend backs middle-order move in BGT 2024-25 2nd Test
Former Indian opener and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar backed skipper Rohit Sharma's decision to bat in the middle order in the second Australia Test in Adelaide. Rohit missed the first Test in Perh due to the birth of his second child, resulting in KL Rahul opening the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
The duo became the first Indian opening pair to stitch a 200-run partnership in Tests on Australian soil in the second innings of the contest. With India completing a 295-run victory, questions about Rohit's position in the batting order grew louder.
Despite never batting anywhere but the top in Tests since the 2018-19 tour Down Under, the 37-year-old demoted himself to No. 6 on Day 1 at Adelaide.
Speaking on Channel 7 on the morning of Day 2, Gavaskar backed the skipper's move to bat in the middle order.
"Yes, because in the previous Test, you had a partnership of 200 between Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, you don't want to break that because they had the momentum and they had the confidence. Besides, Rohit Sharma hasn't played any serious cricket for more than a month. The last time he played for India was on November 3 and we are now at December 6," he said.
"So clearly It was required that he would be able to see what was happening what was happening. Pink ball is not easy to play, India hasn't played a pink-ball Test for two or three years. So, dropping himself down the order was a correct move," Gavaskar added.
Unfortunately, the move did not pay dividends as Rohit was trapped lbw for a scratchy 23-ball 3. His dismissal was one of four wickets India lost in the space of 18 runs as they collapsed from a healthy 69/1 to 87/5.
"He should have come back into the side and opened the batting" - Ricky Ponting
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting disagreed with Sunil Gavaskar and felt the returning Rohit Sharma should have opened the batting in the ongoing Adelaide Test.
The champion batter has opened for India in Tests in 64 out of his 112 innings, averaging over 44 at the position.
"I actually disagree with what Sunny said. I felt he should have come back into the side and opened the batting because KL Rahul has always been a fringe player around this team for a number of years. Yes, he got his chance and played well in Perth but what that says to me now is that Rohit Sharma is going to spend the rest of his career down the order," said Ponting on Channel 7.
"Because KL Rahul has played, Shubman Gill looked good in the first innings so the only spot for Rohit Sharma in the side now is going to be No.6 and that might be where he stays for the rest of his career. But he is a class player to come back in, although his record against Australia is not that good with only one Test hundred. The captain coming back in and batting in the middle was a bit of an eye-opener," he added.
Despite the failure in the first innings at No. 6, Rohit boasts an excellent career average of 52 in 26 innings at the position.