Ravi Shastri’s U-turn on Rohit Sharma’s batting position: ‘Not that he’s going to set the world on fire’ | Cricket News
Eight days after suggesting that India captain Rohit Sharma should zero in on a middle-order spot in his Test return in Adelaide, former India head coach Ravi Shastri has made a U-turn on his stance.
Shastri, who promoted Rohit to open in Tests five years ago, has now urged the skipper to return to his most-favoured spot at the top of the order in the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Brisbane starting Saturday, despite his Adelaide no-show and a staggering dip in form.
Rohit endured single-digit scores against the pink ball with Australian seamers working out perfect lines to trouble the 37-year-old. Rohit’s demotion meant that KL Rahul stayed put as Yashasvi Jaiswal’s opening partner, only a month after the captain and head coach Gautam Gambhir had suggested a No. 6 slot for the Karnataka batter.
While Shastri does not foresee a dramatic turn in Rohit’s fortunes, he believes the opening slot should suit his new-found aggressive methods. “That’s where he’s been at his best over the last eight or nine years,” Shastri was quoted as saying during an event on Thursday. “It’s not that he’s going to set the world on fire – he could – but that’s the place that’s best for him. To lead from the front.
“If he has to do damage, if he has to throw the first punch, that’s the best place from where he can do it. And it is important that India get their judgment right here, because 1-1 in the series, this is the moving Test match.”
Rohit had only one fifty in his last 10 innings heading into the Pink-ball Test last week when Shastri urged India to go in with an unchanged opening combination from their Perth win, pushing the captain down to the middle-order.
“He’s (Rohit) experienced enough to see where he’s most dangerous when it comes to Australia. Where would Australia not like to see him? That’s the position he should choose. And he’s the leader of the pack, so he can afford to do that. I think he (Rahul) should carry on (opening) because Rohit has not had much time since he’s come here (Australia),” Shastri said on the ICC Review.
“Very quickly he had to play that Prime Miner’s XI game. But I would say carry on with the same setup. He [Rohit] can bat at five or six,” he added.
Why should you buy our Subscription?
You want to be the smartest in the room.
You want access to our award-winning journalism.
You don’t want to be misled and misinformed.
Choose your subscription package
