NEW DELHI: The batting position changed. The woeful form did not. India captain Rohit Sharma‘s return to the opening slot ended on a disastrous note on the second day of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG on Friday.
Team India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah took 4/99 as India bowled out Australia for 474 shortly after lunch with former captain Steve Smith top scoring with 140.
Rohit, who had missed the first Test in Perth, has hit a horror patch of form and had just 19 runs from the two Tests he played at Adelaide and Brisbane in this series.
Rohit batted at No. 6 in Adelaide and Brisbane with KL Rahul continuing as opener.
But Rohit was back to open the innings at the MCG and this was the time India needed their captain to lead from the front by scoring runs in excellent batting conditions .
But his Aussie counterpart Pat Cummins ensured that Rohit’s woeful form continued.
Rohit got off the mark with a fine push straight down the ground for 3 runs, but 3 balls later Cummins had his revenge.
Cummins bowled a short of length delivery outside off, that could have been left alone but Rohit hopped on one leg and tried to pull half-heartedly and the top-edge went straight up.
Scott Boland ran to his right from mid-on and took a simple catch to end Rohit’s innings of five balls.
This is the seventh time that Cummins has dismissed Rohit in 13 innings.
Cummins also equaled the record of Richie Benaud and Imran Khan of a captain dismissing an opposition captain most times in Test cricket.
Captain dismissing an opposition captain most times in Tests
- 5 Ted Dexter by Richie Benaud
- 5 Sunil Gavaskar by Imran Khan
- 5 Rohit Sharma by Pat Cummins *
- 4 Gulabrai Ramchand by Richie Benaud
- 4 Clive Lloyd by Kapil Dev
- 4 Peter May by Richie Benaud
