Ex-selector’s advice for Indian skipper, “Rohit Sharma should bat at number 6 in IND vs AUS 2nd Test”
Former national selector Devang Gandhi has suggested that Rohit Sharma should bat at number six instead of opening in the upcoming second Test against Australia in Adelaide. This recommendation follows Rohit’s absence from the first Test due to the birth of his second child and concerns over his recent form, highlighted by a disappointing performance in a warm-up match where he scored just three runs off eleven balls.
Gandhi emphasized that transitioning to the middle order could benefit Rohit, who last batted at number six during the 2018-19 Australia tour. He noted that maintaining a left-right batting combination with Rishabh Pant at five would enhance team dynamics. “It becomes difficult if a middle-order batter tries to become an opener later in their career, but it’s easier for an opener like Rohit to adapt,” Gandhi stated.
Despite this, the Indian team management may prefer to keep KL Rahul and YashasviJaiswal as openers after their successful partnership in Perth, where they set a record stand of 201 runs. With Rohit’s recent struggles—only 91 runs in his last three Tests—his batting position remains a critical decision for India ahead of the Adelaide Test.