BGT 2024-25: Manjrekar suggests promoting KL Rahul to open, Rohit at no. 3
Xtra Time Web Desk: Sanjay Manjrekar believes India should consider bringing KL Rahul back to open the innings in the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). With the match set for a dramatic finish, Manjrekar suggested that Rohit Sharma could shift to No. 3, keeping all four results in play heading into the final day.
Rohit has struggled for form since his return to the national side, managing just 22 runs in four innings at a dismal average of 5.50. The Indian captain crossed double digits only once, and in the first innings at Melbourne, he fell to Pat Cummins after mistiming a pull shot.
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“Ideally, you would want KL Rahul back at the top because it’s important to have an opening start. With the kind of form Rohit Sharma has been in, you are hoping against hope that he has another long innings under his belt. Rahul at the top restores a little more confidence, and it’s been a successful opening pair in the series. That could happen and No.3 for Rohit may not be too different from batting at the top of the order,” Manjrekar told Star Sports.
At Stumps on Day 4, Australia reached 228 for 9, thanks to an unbeaten 55-run partnership between Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland. With a lead of 333 runs, Australia has set India the daunting task of chasing the highest-ever target at the MCG in Test history.
Manjrekar also highlighted the depth in India’s batting lineup, pointing out that Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Washington Sundar could pose serious challenges to the Australian bowlers once the Kookaburra ball loses its hardness.
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“But the real dangerman apart from the top four are people like Pant, who is used to playing a great innings. As the Kookaburra ball gets soft, you have got three guys Australia will find it tough to get out. Jadeja, Reddy and Sundar. With the Indian batting running deep and with a soft Kookaburra ball, Australia will have to bowl really well to clean up the entire Indian batting lineup,” Manjrekar added.
India’s first challenge on Day 5 will be to wrap up the Australian innings quickly before planning a historic chase on a pitch showing signs of wear and tear.
