Rohit Sharma to bat in the middle order: What do the stats say?

India seems keen on playing at all odds to secure a favorable result down under. The team landed in Australia carrying the baggage of a 0-3 series defeat against New Zealand at home. However, the humbling loss against the Kiwis didn’t translate into a winning edge for the Kangaroos. India quickly overcame the rust to open the Border Gavaskar Trophy with a commanding 295-run victory at the Optus Stadium in Perth. With team captain Rohit Sharma on paternity leave for the match, KL Rahul made the opening spot his own with a commendable batting display in Perth.

Now that Rohit Sharma has rejoined the squad in Australia, it remains to be seen whether the captain is willing to reshuffle the winning combination to include himself in the opening slot. However, judging by India’s display in the warm-up match against the Prime Ministers XI, Sharma seems untroubled by the prospect of demoting himself in the batting order.

Will Rohit Sharma bat down the order in the second Border Gavaskar Trophy clash?

Rohit Sharma has not been at his best in the longest format of the game for quite some time now. While Sharma opened the year with two centuries during England's tour of India, the more recent home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand were devoid of Sharma’s batting excellence. Having played 11 Tests this year so far, Sharma has scored 588 runs in 21 innings at an average of 29.40. Coming to the Border Gavaskar Trophy late by a match, Sharma had an opportunity to regain his rhythm in the India vs Prime Ministers XI warm-up match at the Manuka Oval.

The skipper, in a surprising move, batted down the order in the pink-ball game. In Sharma’s absence, KL Rahul earned the chance to open the Indian innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. While Rahul departed for 26 off 74 following a disappointing dismissal in the first innings, he made amends with an impressive knock in the subsequent innings. Rahul scored 77 as he stitched a record-breaking 201-run partnership with Jaiswal in the opening slot. The partnership for the first wicket played a pivotal role in shaping the dominant victory for the visitors in the Test that kicked off the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

However, no matter the excellence, it was anticipated that KL Rahul would make way for Rohit Sharma in the Adelaide Test. Moreover, with Shubman Gill available after missing the first match due to a thumb injury, even the No. 3 spot didn’t seem secure for Rahul. The skipper, adapting to the demands of the five-match series, demoted himself in the batting order during the practice game.

KL Rahul opened the innings while Rohit Sharma batted at No. 4. Rahul appeared in seamless form, partnering with Jaiswal for a 75-run stand against a bowling attack that included Scott Boland. He eventually retired on 27 off 44 balls, making way for Rohit Sharma, who batted at the fourth position. However, Sharma couldn’t contribute much, falling to Charlie Anderson for a paltry score of 3.

Shubman Gill, on the other hand, looked much more in control despite his recent recovery from injury. The batter scored a comfortable half-century before retiring. Based on the batting order observed in the practice match, Gill appears set to reclaim the No. 3 spot. Gill’s inclusion will likely lead to Devdutt Padikkal being left out of the Playing XI for the Adelaide Test. 

How has Rohit Sharma performed while batting in the middle order? 

If Rohit Sharma remains firm in his decision to bat in the middle order, he could slot into the No. 5 position. While Virat Kohli didn’t bat against PM XI, the century-scorer from Perth is expected to continue in his usual batting position. Meanwhile, Rohit’s inclusion will close the doors for Dhruv Jurel in the squad, with Rishabh Pant likely occupying the No. 6 spot in the batting lineup.

Rohit Sharma, who debuted in 2013, initially batted in the middle order before being promoted to the opening position in 2018. Notably, Rohit’s best batting average in Tests is recorded at the No. 6 position. From 2013 to 2018, Sharma scored 437 runs in 16 innings at an average of 29.13 while batting at the fifth spot in the order.

However, the stats improve drastically when Sharma is positioned lower at the sixth spot. The skipper has registered 1,037 runs in 25 innings at an enviable average of 54.57. Moreover, the right-handed batter has smashed two centuries while batting at No. 6. His average in the middle order is better compared to the 44.00 he has maintained as an opener.

While Sharma appears to be in a batting slump right now, moving him to the middle order could improve India’s chances of winning the next Test. The challenges in Adelaide are expected to be greater than those faced in Perth. The team has struggled with the pink ball in Australia, with the ghosts of their previous Test at Adelaide still fresh. Therefore, India needs a foolproof plan to keep the Kangaroos in check. As for Australia, they will be forced to play the Adelaide Test without their primary seamer, Josh Hazlewood. Scott Boland is likely to replace the injured Hazlewood in the Australian playing XI for the Adelaide Test.