India captain Rohit Sharma shocked everyone during the team's Pink-ball warm-up game against the Australian Prime Minister's XI. The India captain sacrificed his batting position for wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul after his heroics with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first Test match of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
KL Rahul who played as an opener during the Perth Test in the absence of Rohit has made a historic 201-run partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal. That was the highest first-wicket partnership by an Indian batter on Australian soil in the longest format of the game.
After Rohit's move during the Pink-ball warm-up game fans started speculating that Team India would follow the same batting lineup in the second Test which will be a Pink ball Day\light clash.
Earlier, India veteran batter Chesteshwar Pujara also suggested Rohit Sharma-led side not to tinker around with batting for the second Test. He suggested Rohit to go with KL Rahul and Jaiswal. He also reckoned that Rohit could come at number three and Gill to feature at five.
"I think, for some reason if we can carry on with the same batting order, like KL and Yashasvi to open, Rohit could come in at three, and Shubman could come in at five," Pujara said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo.
Pujara also said that batting in top order suits KL Rahul's game. He suggested that if Rohit wants to open then KL Rahul should bat at number three.
"If Rohit wants to open, KL should bat at No. 3. Nothing later than that. I think he has to bat top of the order, because it suits his game really well. I hope we don't tinker around with that" added Pujara.
Pujara explained that sending Gill to bat at number three so that Pant will face the old ball.
"Ideally No. 5. Because it allows him to come in at a time, even if we lose two wickets early, he is someone who can negotiate the new ball," Pujara said. "But if he walks in after, say, 25 or 30 overs, he can play his shots. He can play his natural game. And in case we lose the first three wickets early, Gill walks in and saves Rishabh Pant for the old ball. [Pant] doesn't have to face the new ball. I wouldn't want him to walk in to bat when the ball is hard and new" he also said.
The second Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 will take place from December 6 to 10. India are currently leading 1-0 in the five-Test match series and the second Test match will be a Day/Light pink ball Test.