Rohit Sharma set to open in 4th Test, KL Rahul to bat at No. 3 and Shubman Gill at…!
New Delhi: The Indian cricket team is poised to make several changes for the fourth Test of their ongoing Australia tour. As per various media sources, captain Rohit Sharma is expected to open the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Rohit Sharma, who missed the series opener in Perth, batted at No. 6 in both Adelaide (2nd Test) and Brisbane (3rd Test) as India continued with KL Rahul as the opener. However, the visitors are set to bring their captain back as an opener, with Rahul, who has performed well so far, potentially moving to No. 3.
These changes, however, raise uncertainty about Shubman Gill’s position, as he has been India’s preferred No. 3 for a while. Reports suggest that India is considering playing two spinners in Melbourne, which could lead to the inclusion of allrounder Washington Sundar in their playing XI.
Focus on batters:
Indian batsmen gave hope with solid performances in the opening Test in Perth, where Jaiswal and Virat Kohli both scored centuries. However, the batting line-up faltered in the subsequent two Tests, one of which ended in a heavy loss at the Adelaide Oval. Rahul has been the only one to show consistency, scoring two half-centuries in six innings, and is currently the second-highest run-scorer of the series after Travis Head.
Jaiswal ranks third on the list with 193 runs, though most of these came from a single innings – 161 in the second innings of the first Test. Similarly, Kohli has only managed 126 runs, despite a stylish century – an unbeaten 100 – in the series opener last month. Meanwhile, Rohit has also struggled, scoring just 19 runs in three innings. Rohit declined to confirm whether he would remain in the middle order or return to open at the MCG.
“Let’s not worry about who bats where. Something that we need to figure and not something I would be discussing here. We will do what is best for the team,” he told reporters during a media interaction on Tuesday.
Nitish Kumar Reddy or Shubman Gill in the team?
If India chooses to play an additional spinner, it’s probable that either Nitish Reddy or Shubman Gill could be dropped to make room for Sundar in the playing XI. Reddy, who debuted in Perth, has performed admirably, scoring 179 runs from five innings and also claiming two wickets. However, Gill’s form remains a worry, as he has only accumulated 60 runs from three innings so far.