Adelaide [Australia], December 5: India captain Rohit Sharma expressed his belief that KL Rahul deserves to open the batting lineup in the upcoming Adelaide Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, despite his own successful stint at the top of the order.
This decision means that Rohit will move back to the middle order, with KL Rahul continuing in the opening slot. Rahul’s performance in the Perth Test played a pivotal role in securing his place. He scored an impressive 77 runs off 176 balls, including five boundaries, and formed a record-breaking 201-run partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the first wicket.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Rohit praised Rahul’s consistency, especially in overseas conditions. “We want results, we want success, and those two guys at the top batted brilliantly. I was at home with my newborn in my arms, watching KL bat, and it was brilliant to watch. Honestly, I felt there was no need to change that. Based on his performance and what KL has shown outside of India, he deserves that place right now,” said Rohit. “It was pretty simple for me, but personally, it wasn’t easy. For the team, though, it made a lot of sense.”
Rohit confirmed that he will bat in the middle order, with KL Rahul continuing as the opener. “He’ll be opening the batting; I’ll bat somewhere in the middle,” he stated.
KL Rahul made his Test debut against Australia in 2014 and has since played 54 Tests, scoring 3084 runs at an average of 34.26 and a strike rate of 52.56.
India is currently leading the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series 1-0 after a massive 295-run victory in the first Test in Perth. The second Test will be a day-night match in Adelaide, beginning on Friday.