File image of Rohit Sharma.© AFP
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes India skipper Rohit Sharma must return to his usual opening position for the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia, starting in Brisbane on December 14. For the second Test at the Adelaide Oval, Rohit chose to bat at number six in order to not disturb the Yashasvi Jaiswal-KL Rahul pairing, who shared a 201-run opening stand paving the way for India’s 295-run win in Perth. But Rohit could only make nine runs in two innings as a number six batter in India’s ten-wicket defeat to Australia at the Adelaide Oval, as the Pat Cummins-led side squared the five-match series and make the scoreline 1-1.
“I felt that if (Rohit) Sharma was coming back into the side, he should have gone straight back up to the top and opened the batting. That’s how I felt about it. And I know that KL and Jaiswal had a 200-run partnership in Perth and they had played well, but he’s (Rohit) your captain.”
“He’s one of your most experienced players. You want to be sending him out at the top in his normal role. So that’s something they might think about. They might think about Rohit going back to the top for Brisbane,” said Ponting on the ICC Review show.
In his last 12 Test innings, Rohit has made just 142 runs, and averages 11.83. Ponting stated if he was in the Indian team camp, he would look for ways to make him comfortable about making runs as an opener ahead of the crunch Brisbane Test.
“It’s like, you just know within yourself. You don’t need anybody to tell you if you’re making runs or not, or if you’re batting well or not. You know deep down inside as well. Rohit had an extended break before that Test match, and it wasn’t the easiest wicket to bat on as well by the way, I think that needs to be said. Most guys struggled to make runs on that wicket.”
“Whether worried is the right word…if it’s just concern or just a little bit anxious about making runs next time you bat. But if I was India and him, I’d be trying to find a way to make it as comfortable as possible.”
“And he’s opened the batting for such a long period of time. I would get him straight back up there again and try to find a slot somewhere down the order for KL (Rahul). That’s what I would do. Because I think that’s what he (Rohit) would prefer,” he concluded.
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