Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 12 (ANI): Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting believes Indian captain Rohit Sharma can be higher suited to his typical opening function for the third Check in opposition to Australia at Brisbane, following a tough outing within the center order throughout India’s loss within the pink-ball Check at Adelaide.
Rohit’s return to the Indian line-up for the Adelaide Check noticed the skilled opener batting within the center order at quantity six as an alternative of his customary opening place. Ponting, nevertheless, criticised this tactical transfer.
Rohit defined that the choice was influenced by the profitable 201-run opening partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul throughout India’s historic victory within the first Check of the sequence in Perth. The workforce administration was reluctant to disrupt a functioning mixture. Moreover, with Rohit having batted at quantity six in 25 earlier innings, India deemed it an appropriate adjustment for the match.
Discussing Rohit’s function on the newest episode of The ICC Assessment with host Sanjana Ganesan, Ponting argued that the Indian skipper must be allowed to play in his most popular place.
“I felt that if Rohit Sharma was returning to the facet, he ought to have gone straight again to the highest to open the batting,” Ponting mentioned, as quoted by ICC.
“That is my opinion. I perceive KL and Jaiswal had a 200-run partnership in Perth and performed effectively, however Rohit is your captain and certainly one of your most skilled gamers.
“You need him batting in his regular function. That is one thing they could must reconsider–perhaps shifting Rohit again to the highest for Brisbane,” Ponting concluded.
Rohit, batting at quantity six within the Adelaide Check, managed simply three and 6 runs in two innings as Australia secured a complete 10-wicket victory, chasing solely 19 runs within the remaining innings.
The 37-year-old has confronted scrutiny for his current Check performances. In his final 12 innings, 10 of which got here throughout India’s dwelling sequence in opposition to Bangladesh and New Zealand, Rohit has scored 142 runs at a median of 11.83, with a solitary half-century.
When requested if Rohit’s kind was a priority for each him and the workforce, Ponting supplied a nuanced perspective.
“As a participant, you do not want anybody to inform you if you happen to’re scoring runs or not; you simply know. Rohit had a protracted break earlier than that Check, and it wasn’t the simplest wicket to bat on. Most batsmen struggled on that pitch,” Ponting famous.
“Whether or not it is fear or simply concern, the secret’s to make him comfy. Rohit has opened the batting for a very long time, and I might transfer him again there. Maybe KL may discover a spot additional down the order–that’s what I might do as a result of I feel that is what Rohit would like,” he added.
Since adopting the opening function in 2019, Rohit has excelled in Check cricket, amassing 2,685 runs in 64 innings at a median of 44.01, together with 9 centuries and eight half-centuries, with a high rating of 212. He has been certainly one of India’s standout performers within the ICC World Check Championship.
The third Check begins at Brisbane’s Gabba on Saturday, December 14. After a crushing 295-run defeat within the first Check at Perth’s Optus Stadium–where standout performances from Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, and Yashasvi Jaiswal stole the show–the hosts bounced again strongly with a 10-wicket win within the pink-ball Check at Adelaide Oval.
With the five-match sequence tied at 1-1, all eyes now flip to Brisbane’s Gabba–a floor the place an underdog Indian facet famously ended Australia’s 32-year unbeaten streak through the 2020-21 tour. Extra lately, the West Indies defeated Australia on the similar venue in a pink-ball Check, because of a exceptional spell from pacer Shamar Joseph. These defeats have left the Aussies battling their very own demons below mounting strain. (ANI)
