Indian captain Rohit Sharma's contributions in the longer format have gone largely under the radar for quite some time this year. His ability to score runs has significantly declined since the T20 World Cup, with his Test batting average plummeting to around 13 in 2024. This prolonged slump in form has not only impacted his performances but also raised questions about his captaincy, especially after losing four consecutive matches.
In an attempt to maintain a winning combination, Rohit Sharma moved down to number 6 in the batting order, making way for KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had a standout partnership in the Perth Test. With Rohit missing that match, he relinquished his opening spot to KL Rahul and batted lower down the order. However, this adjustment came at a cost Dhruv Jurel was benched to accommodate Rohit in the middle order. Despite this change, both Rohit and KL Rahul failed to deliver in their respective positions, raising doubts about whether Rohit should continue in the middle order or return to his opening role.
Here, we gather expert opinions on where Rohit Sharma should bat going forward, as questions continue to swirl around his place in the Indian batting lineup.
Expert's Opinion
Both Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri have expressed the view that India captain Rohit Sharma would be best suited to return to his preferred opening spot in the upcoming Tests against Australia.
After missing the first Test in Perth, where India secured a victory, Rohit decided not to disturb the winning combination and moved down to number 6 for the second Test in Adelaide. This allowed KL Rahul to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had a strong outing in Perth.
However, Rahul couldn't capitalize on his solid form from the previous match, scoring just 37 and 7 in the two innings of the pink-ball Test. Meanwhile, Rohit, batting at No. 6, appeared "subdued," as described by the experts, managing just 3 and 6 in his innings. Former India coach Ravi Shastri noted, "The fact that he didn’t make runs, I don’t think there was enough on the field. I just wanted to see him more involved and animated."
Sunil Gavaskar also weighed in, emphasizing that Rohit should return to his regular opening position. He explained, “We should remember why Rahul opened. He did that because Rohit Sharma was unavailable for the first Test. I can understand why they kept him as an opener in the second Test he had a 200-plus partnership with Jaiswal.”
Both Gavaskar and Shastri believe that Rohit’s best impact will be at the top of the order, where he has traditionally been most effective.
Writer’s Opinion
Rohit Sharma’s recent form has become a growing concern for fans. He started the year with a strong performance, scoring a century at home, but his transition to Test cricket has been troubling. The Indian captain has struggled to replicate the consistency he showed in white-ball formats, managing just two fifties since the Bangladesh Test. Rohit's struggles become particularly evident in challenging conditions, where his defensive game appears to have diminished over time.
Rohit himself has acknowledged that he has become a batter who prefers to stand tall and attack the ball when it’s in his zone, which has led to inconsistency in difficult conditions. Given this, it might be beneficial for Rohit to bat down the order, especially when facing an older ball. This could allow him to play more comfortably, as he could capitalize on the conditions to his advantage. His performance in the pink-ball outing was promising, as he relished the challenge posed by the ball and the conditions. With more practice with the red ball, he could adapt to batting lower in the order in the upcoming third Test.
Ultimately, it’s about Rohit finding his rhythm again. If he does, it could be a game-changer for India in the remaining Tests of the series.
