December 5, 2024: As India gears up for the second Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide, former cricketer Irfan Pathan has weighed in on the team’s batting lineup, specifically suggesting that KL Rahul should open the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. This suggestion comes ahead of India’s crucial day-night Test against Australia, which begins on Friday.
Speaking exclusively on Star Sports, former Team India cricketer Irfan Pathan shared his insights on the first-day preview of the Adelaide Test and said that Rohit Sharma has batted in different numbers so he won’t face any difficulty in adjusting.
“I think in the Test Match, Rohit Sharma will be back. He is the captain, so he will have a straight swap with Devdutt Padikkal. And Shubman Gill should also be in the squad, instead of Dhruv Jurel. There were a lot of questions on the batting position of KL Rahul. He should open with Yashasvi Jaiswal. Rohit Sharma has batted in different numbers. So he will be able to adjust very well. Since it was a very good opening, you don’t want to change it, especially after Perth’s win. So Rohit and Shubman Gill will bat in the middle order, and KL Rahul and Yashasvi will both open,” Pathan was quoted by Star Sports as saying.
Earlier, India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, confirmed that KL Rahul would indeed open the batting in the Adelaide Test, shifting from his middle-order position. Rohit also revealed that he himself would return to the middle order, despite his successful stint at the top of the order in recent Test matches. “He’ll be opening the batting; I’ll bat somewhere in the middle,” Rohit said during the pre-match press conference, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
The move to have Rahul open is seen as a boost to his confidence, particularly following his crucial knock of 77 runs from 176 balls in the Perth Test. Rahul, alongside Jaiswal, had forged a record-breaking partnership of 201 runs for the first wicket in India’s commanding victory over Australia in the opening Test of the series at Optus Stadium.
Reflecting on the changes for the Adelaide Test, Pathan expressed his belief that Rohit Sharma’s adaptability with batting positions would allow him to slot comfortably into the middle order. “Rohit Sharma has batted in different numbers, so he will be able to adjust very well,” Pathan said. He also suggested a swap in the squad, recommending that Shubman Gill be included in place of Dhruv Jurel, further reinforcing the notion that Rahul should open with Jaiswal, following the success of their partnership in Perth.
India, currently 1-0 up in the series after their dominant 295-run win in the first Test, will look to extend their lead in the day-night Adelaide Test. The match promises to be a crucial one, with the atmosphere at the Adelaide Oval offering unique challenges for both teams.
