BGT 2024-25: 2 reasons why Rohit Sharma should bat in the middle order in Adelaide test

Rohit Sharma is set to return to the playing XI in Adelaide after missing the Perth test.

The Indian cricket team will be receiving major boost to their batting line-up in the upcoming second Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 test against Australia in Adelaide as Rohit Sharma is certain to be part of the XI, while Shubman Gill is all but confirmed to make a comeback from his thumb injury after featuring in the practice match against Prime Minister’s XI.

The duo is expected to replace Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel. In the first BGT 2024-25 test in Perth, which India won by 295 runs, Padikkal batted at No. 3 and Jurel at No. 6 and both couldn’t put a notable performance.

While their place in the XI is certain, what is now a bone of contention among the fans and must be among the team management also is their position in the batting order. With Gill, it is expected that he will slot back at No. 3, replacing Padikkal as he is India’s long-term replacement of Pujara.

But, there is now a debate over Rohit’s spot. Rohit has been the first-choice opener since his return to the test side in 2019. But, Rahul’s success in Perth could mean a shift for Rohit back to the middle-order, where he started his test career in 2013. There are a couple of strong arguments in favor of this shift of position for Sharma, which will we see below.

Two reasons why Rohit Sharma should bat in the middle order in Adelaide test:

KL Rahul showed great ability to handle the new ball in Perth

KL Rahul is the only Indian opener to register a test century in Australia, England, and South Africa. The hallmark of his tons in England and South Africa in 2021 was his patience, temperament and technique in leaving the balls outside the off-stump: on deliveries that are angled in but seam away, Rahul used his front pad as a shield to tug his bat behind.

The exact same technique was on display during his knocks of 26 (74) and 77 (176) in the Perth test, where he recorded a stand of 201 runs with Jaiswal, the highest opening stand by an Indian pair in Australia.

Rahul has been shifted to the middle-order over the past year in the test side. After being dropped during the New Zealand series, he got an opportunity to open in Perth and played two exemplary knocks in which he was outstanding in dealing with the balls outside off-stump. He showed immense patience in not getting sucker punched to length balls and only unfurled his shots when it was either too full or too short.

With the same method, he batted in the warm-up match against Prime Minister’s XI. Against the pink ball under lights, he played 44 balls and creamed four fours on balls that deserved to be hit.

India must show faith in Rahul once again and cash in on his ability to see off the new ball and make things easier for the middle-order.

Rohit Sharma’s struggles in the home season and his gung-ho approach need a rethought

Rohit Sharma had a terrible home test season. In 10 innings, he averaged only 13 and crossed the 25-run mark only once.

While, admittedly, the pitches in those five tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand weren’t batting-friendly, Rohit’s aggressive methods and mindset are concerning for the longest format of the game.

Getting out to attacking shots in test cricket is not seen as harakiri these days, but being reckless with the shot-making should be rethought.

The Australian conditions, especially in a day-night test in Adelaide, where India were bowled out for 36 runs in their last trip in a similar pink-ball setting, and the hosts’ pacers would post a far tougher and daunting combination than what Rohit faced with New Zealand and Bangladesh at home.

As Rahul and Jaiswal showed in the second innings in Perth – and Pujara on the previous two tours – it’s prudent to see off the new ball in Australia as life for the batsmen gets a bit easier with the ball getting softer and the bowlers bowling into their second and third spells of the day.

In the home season, it felt Rohit Sharma wanted to make the most out of the hard new ball before one with his name on it came and toppled him. He shouldn’t make the same mistake in Australia. The best bet for Rohit, it seems as of now given his modus operandi and his terrible form, is to slot himself in the middle-order, allow the likes of Rahul and co. to face out the new ball, and later make hay when the ball gets softer.

Rohit’s attacking approach could then be better utilised for the team’s cause. “Selfless” batting isn’t about throwing your bat at everything in the aim of scoring quickly. You won’t get consistency with that.

Enough of the “selfless” batting things – a term that has been made a joke. It’s time to think of the team’s best interest, and Rahul is clearly a better bet as an opener than Rohit, a decision that should be made with short and long-term goals in mind.

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