Rohit Sharma is slated to open for India against Australia in the Boxing Day Test that begins on Thursday. That would mean KL Rahul will drop to the No. 3 slot in the batting order.
Additionally, the team management are considering playing two spinners at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with Washington Sundar to partner Ravindra Jadeja, with Nitish Kumar Reddy sitting out.
Rohit has had an underwhelming run in 2024, scoring just 607 runs from 13 Tests at an average of 26.39. In the last 13 innings, he’s scored just 152 runs at an average of under 12.
In Rohit’s absence in the opening Test at Perth, KL Rahul scored 26 and 77 in the opening slot. That earned him leverage to maintain his role even when Rohit joined for the second and third Tests. In the fourth innings since, KL Rahul has scored 37, 7, 84 and 4* to emerge as India’s leading run-scorer on the tour.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is locked at 1-1 after three Tests with India winning the opener by 295 runs, Australia clinching the second by 10-wickets. The third Test, at the Gabba in Brisbane, ended without a result after rain played a key role on all days.
(To be updated…)
