Why Is Rohit Sharma Not Opening For Team India In The Second BGT 2024-25 Test?

The KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal open the innings for India in the second 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Test match to be played at Adelaide. This is part of this decision. After the return of Rohit Sharma, the skipper, who for the last four years has been India’s first choice opener, has opted not to open the innings but will bat in the middle order—an announcement he confirmed Wednesday.

This has been termed a selfless act by some Indian experts. For India, however, it seems just about fine as well. Rohit, of late, has looked vulnerable against the new ball, and the Australian pace attack would have surely planned to exploit that with a pink ball, which makes more than the usual red ball.

By batting in the middle-order, Rohit can evade the new ball and potentially have a more viable innings. This shifts laurels to Rahul and Jaiswal to take on the Australian bowlers at the top, which might very well be the factor in the successful Test match for India.

“I felt that there is no need to change that”- Rohit Sharma 

In a press conference held on the eve of the Test, Rohit expressed his belief that “there is no need to change” the Rahul-Jaiswal partnership, which had produced an outstanding 201-run partnership in the first Test in Perth’s third innings. India was able to declare at a massive 487/6 and win by 295 runs because to their confidence against the new ball and a clever change of pace.

“These two guys (Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal) batted brilliantly, I was at home with my newborn in my arms, and I was watching how KL (Rahul) batted. It was brilliant to watch, and I felt that there is no need to change that (opening combination) now. But yes, personally it was not easy, but for the team, this (decision) made sense” Rohit said.