A big debate has emerged over Team India captain Rohit Sharma's batting position for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy after KL Rahul's impressive effort with the willow in the Perth Test. Rohit has been opening the innings for India since being promoted up the order in October 2019. However, he missed the first Test against Australia in Perth for personal reasons and Rahul shone in his absence.
Opening the innings for India in Perth, with both Rohit and Shubman Gill unavailable for different reasons, Rahul scored a defiant 26 in the first innings and followed it up with a resolute 77 in the second essay, adding 201 runs for the first wicket with Yashasvi Jaiswal (161).
While Rahul was dropped from the playing XI for the last two Tests of the home series against New Zealand, it is highly unlikely that he will be axed for the second Test against Australia in Adelaide even if both Rohit and Gill are available. However, a debate has emerged over the Indian captain's batting in the wake of Rahul's stellar effort at the top of the order in Perth.
As fans and critics continue to be divided over the matter, we take a look at Rohit's away Test record in different batting positions.
Opening (10 matches, average 46.88)
Rohit has opened in 10 away Test matches in which he has scored 797 runs at an average of 46.88, with two hundreds to his name. The 37-year-old scored a memorable 127 against England at The Oval in September 2021. The right-handed batter's other ton came against West Indies in Roseau in July 2023.
In Australia, Rohit has played two Tests as an opener and has scored 129 runs at an average of 32.25, with a best of 52. These numbers were registered during the 2020-21 tour Down Under. The Indian captain also opened in the two-match Test series in South Africa in 2023-24. He struggled, managing only 60 runs in four innings with a best of 39.
(At neutral venues as an opener, he has played two Tests - the 2021 WTC final in Southampton and the 2023 final at The Oval. In four innings, Rohit scored 122 runs at an average of 30.50, with a best of 43.)
No. 3 (3 matches, average 26.75)
Interestingly, the Indian captain has also batted at the one-down position in away Tests in three games. His stats at this position read 107 runs at an average of 26.75, with one half-century. The right-hander scored 53 & 39 against Australia in Sydney in January 2015, six against Bangladesh in Fatullah in June 2015, and nine against Sri Lanka in Galle in August 2015.
No. 4 (1 match, average 4)
Rohit has batted at No. 4 only once in an away Test. In the August 2015 Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, he batted at No. 4 in the second innings and was bowled by bowled by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for four. The right-hander had batted at No. 3 in the first innings and was trapped leg before wicket by medium pacer Angelo Mathews for 9.
No. 5 (10 matches, average 29.13)
Rohit began his Test career batting in the middle order. As such, he has batted at the No. 5 position in 10 away Test matches, scoring 437 runs at an average of 29.13, with three half-centuries.
Rohit Sharma's away Test record in different batting positions
The batter's highest in the position in an away Test came when he scored 79 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in August 2015 and 50 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo in the next Test of the series. Rohit also hit 72 against New Zealand in Auckland in February 2014.
The right-handed batter has struggled in South Africa while batting in the No. 5 position. In four matches, he has only managed 76 runs at an average of 10.85, with a best of 25. Rohit is yet to bat at No. 5 in Tests in Australia.
No. 6 (7 matches, average 24.36)
Rohit has a rather poor record at the No. 6 position in away Test matches. In seven games, he has only scored 268 runs at an average of 24.36, with one half-century.
The 37-year-old was dismissed for a duck in the first innings against New Zealand in Wellington in February 2014, bowled by Jimmy Neesham. In the Southampton Test against England in July the same year, he was out for 28 & 6. He also scored 47 against South Africa in Centurion in the second innings in January 2018. Rohit batted at No. 5 in the first essay and was trapped lbw for 10 to Kagiso Rabada.
The current Indian captain batted at No. 6 in Adelaide and Brisbane during the 2014-15 tour of Australia. He registered scores of 43, 6, 32 & 0. He batted at the same position in Adelaide and Melbourne in December 2018, scoring 37, 1, 63* & 5. Overall, batting at No. 6, Rohit averages 26.71 in four Tests in Australia.
(Stats courtesy: Cricinfo Statsguru)
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