Former India player and head coach Ravi Shastri feels India captain Rohit Sharma should bat at the position where the Australians would least like to bowl to him in the upcoming second Test in Adelaide, starting December 6. With Rohit missing the first Test due to the birth of his second child, Team India pulled off a spectacular 295-run win to take a 1-0 series lead as well.

Speaking to the ICC in the build-up to the Adelaide Test, Shastri said, “He’s 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. It’s a fantastic boost because there’s no doubting his quality. He’s very experienced. You need that experience in the middle order.”

“It’s the right mix of experience and youth in the setup, so whether he opens the batting or goes in the middle order, the choice is his. I think he (Rahul) should carry on (opening) because Rohit has not had much time since he’s come here (Australia). Very quickly he had to play that Prime Minister’s XI game. But I would say carry on with the same setup. He [Rohit] can bat at five or six,” he further added.

Ravi Shastri also believes the return of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill for the second Test will make this arguably India’s strongest batting lineup to tour Australia in the past 15 years as well.

“The fact that Shubman Gill is fit as well makes it a very strong Indian side. I would say in the last 10-15 years, of all the sides that have come out to Australia, you get the feeling that this is one of the strongest batting line-ups simply because of the experience. You have Shubman fit, bats at three. Rohit’s fit, he comes back and plays instead of (Devdutt) Padikkal and (Dhruv) Jurel,” concluded Ravi Shastri.