India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has confirmed that Rohit Sharma will return to the top of the batting order in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The announcement came during the post-match press conference after Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test.
Rohit, who missed the Perth Test due to personal reasons, was shifted to the middle order upon his return but failed to make an impact. Scoring only 19 runs across three innings in Brisbane and Adelaide, with a paltry average of 6.33 and a highest score of 10, the experiment proved unsuccessful.
ALSO READ: Sunil Gavaskar Criticizes Virat Kohli’s Shoulder Bump With Sam Konstas In Heated MCG Clash
“Rohit will come up in the order and, more likely than not, he will open the innings for us,” Abhishek Nayar stated. The move is set to pair Rohit with Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top, while KL Rahul is expected to drop to No. 3.
Abhishek Nayar said “Rohit will likely come up & open for us” [Press/Sports Express] pic.twitter.com/ow7itpvIrt
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 26, 2024
This decision comes as India faces mounting pressure, both from a struggling batting lineup and Rohit’s leadership as captain, with the team yet to register a Test win under him since the series victory over Bangladesh earlier this year. Securing a place in the World Test Championship final also hangs in the balance, adding further weight to the skipper’s performance.
ALSO READ: Virat Kohli Fined and Handed Demerit Point After Shoulder-Bump Incident With Sam Konstas
Explaining the decision to bench Shubman Gill, Abhishek Nayar clarified, “I feel for Shubman, but he understands. He’s not really dropped, just couldn’t find his way into the combination.” Gill, who missed the Perth Test due to injury, scored 31 and 28 in Adelaide but managed just one run in Brisbane before being dismissed by Mitchell Starc.
Abhishek Nayar said “Rohit will likely come up & open for us” [Press/Sports Express] pic.twitter.com/ow7itpvIrt
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 26, 2024
At stumps on Day 1, Australia edged ahead, finishing at 311 for six. Debutant Sam Konstas laid the foundation with an aggressive 60 off 65 balls, while Usman Khawaja (57), Marnus Labuschagne (72), and Steve Smith (68*), alongside Alex Carey’s 31, built a solid total.
For India, Jasprit Bumrah shone with figures of 3/75 from 21 overs, but the bowlers struggled to contain Australia’s batsmen on a flat pitch. Rohit’s return to the opening role brings a mix of hope and pressure as India aims to turn the tide in the series.
