India faces a tough decision ahead of the second Test against Australia in Adelaide, as captain Rohit Sharma’s lack of form continues to raise concerns. After missing the first Test due to personal reasons, Rohit returned in a warm-up game against Prime Minister’s XI but managed only three runs before being dismissed by Charlie Anderson. Batting at number four instead of his usual opening position, Sharma’s struggles with the pink ball added to India’s worries about their top-order stability.
In Rohit’s absence, KL Rahul partnered effectively with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first Test, delivering a steady 26-run knock in the first innings and a crucial 77 in the second. The duo’s success as openers raises the question of whether India should persist with Rahul at the top or revert to Rohit, despite his recent poor form.
Rohit’s performance in the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand was equally underwhelming, with just one half-century in his last six innings and a total of 91 runs in three matches against New Zealand. Demoting KL Rahul to the middle order to accommodate Rohit as an opener could disrupt India’s current momentum, especially in a high-stakes series like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India will need to weigh experience against current form as they prepare for the day-night Test in Adelaide, knowing that a stable opening pair could make or break their performance in this crucial match.