3 Strong Reasons why Rohit Sharma should open the innings for India in 3rd Test at Gabba

Rohit Sharma scored nine runs in the second test at Adelaide Oval. He batted at no. 6 in the batting order. Questions have been raised over his batting position and form.

IND vs AUS: Rohit Sharma missed the first test in Perth, which India won by 295 runs. The Indian captain joined the team ahead of the day-night test and led the team in Adelaide. He decided to bat in the middle order and let KL Rahul bat at the top. But it didn't turn out well for both of them.

Rahul had a poor outing in Adelaide, and Rohit had an even more horrible test, scoring only 3 and 6 in two innings. That has certainly put him under a lot of pressure, and the media has started talking once again. The third test will be played at the Gabba, which will begin on December 14.

India need to win the remaining games to qualify for the WTC 2023-25 final. Rohit has scored 142 runs at an average of 11.82 since the home series against Bangladesh. His form is a big worry for India, but his batting position is another big question. However, we will talk about three key reasons why him batting at the top will be beneficial for India.

IND vs AUS: Three Strong Reasons Why Rohit Sharma should bat at the top in Gabba Test

3. Formidable pairing with Yashasvi Jaiswal

Though KL Rahul played brilliantly in Perth and added a record stand of 21 with Jaiswal. But if we look at the ground reality, Rohit has done well whenever he has batted with Jaiswal in tests. These two have played together in 26 innings and scored 1236 runs as a pair.

The highest stand between the two teams is 229, and these are the sixth-best numbers for an opening pair in Indian cricket history. With a lot depending on the third test, India should go with the proven pair, which has done the job in the recent past for them.

2. KL Rahul's ability to bring flexibility to middle order

Though Rahul started his career as an opener but the last couple of years have shown that he has adapted to the situation of batting in the middle order. The best example was in the ODI World Cup 2023.

Rahul can play a long innings if the top order fails and is someone who can be good when the ball gets old. That is why if he bats at no. 5 or 6, he can give more flexibility to the top order than Rohit Sharma.

1. Rohit Sharma at top - A Proven match-winner

Rohit Sharma didn't start as an opener; he was a middle-order batter until MS Dhoni gave him a chance at the top. But since then, there was no stopping back, and he is among the best all-format openers in the world. In test, he opened for the first time in 2019. He has played in swinging conditions in SENA countries and done well as an opener.

As an opener, he has scored 2685 runs in 64 innings at an average of 44.02. It includes nine centuries and 8 half-centuries. Though his current form is concerning but his numbers back him as an opener for the Gabba Test.