Rohit’s return or Rahul’s role: India’s Test dilemma in Adelaide

Dubai: Indian management enter Adelaide on a high after a thumping win in the first Test against Australia at Perth.

They also have a happy headache with the return of skipper Rohit Sharma, who has joined the team following the birth of his second child, and dependable batter Shubman Gill, who missed the match due to a thumb injury.

The big question is who should open the batting. Skipper Rohit Sharma has been the lynchpin of Indian batting over the last few years, but Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal put on a match-winning opening partnership of 201 runs in the second innings. That proved to be the crucial factor in the Men in Blue setting a mammoth target for the Aussies.

The predicament for the team management is whether to continue with the winning partnership or bring Rohit Sharma back to his familiar role as the opener.

Rohit’s return: Strength or risk?

Rohit Sharma is not new to playing in the middle order. The skipper began his career at No 6, but the 37-year-old has been India’s opener in all three formats. If he gets his eye in, he can take the match away from the opposition with his breathtaking shots, both on the front foot and back foot. However, what weighs against Rohit is his poor series at home against New Zealand and the additional challenge posed by the pink ball, which is set to test batters even more than the red cherry.

Rahul’s flexibility adds value

Addressing the media on Wednesday, Rahul said he will bat wherever the team wants him to. The 54-Test veteran has played in various positions and has the capability to perform in any order.

“I’ve been told, but I’ve also been told not to share it,” Rahul told reporters when asked if he knew what position he would be batting in Adelaide.

“I just want to be in the playing XI. Fit me in wherever. I want to go out there and bat and play for the team.

“Luckily for me, I have batted in different positions,” he added.

“Whether I am batting top of the order or in the middle order, if I can manage the first 30-40 balls at the start, everything then seems like regular batting. That’s what I try to focus on.”

Strategic options for Adelaide

While the Indian team might be tempted to keep Rahul in the opening spot, his presence in the middle order will be invaluable. The ball tends to swing and seam under lights, making a skilled batter like Rahul crucial at No 6, following Rishabh Pant. This would also allow Rohit Sharma to reclaim his position as the opener for the second Test.

Rahul scored a patient 26 in the first innings in Perth, followed by a solid 77 in the second innings. That confidence should bring a spring back into his stride and lend stability to the middle order.

Challenges await in day-night Test

While India head into the second match of the five-Test series full of confidence, they have less experience in pink-ball cricket compared to Australia.

Adelaide has been a fortress for the home side, who have won all seven day-night Tests they’ve played there, including against India in 2020-21, when the visitors were bundled out for a mere 36.

— With inputs from AFP