Melbourne, Dec 22 (FN Representative) Former India coach Ravi Shastri on Sunday shared his insights on the ideal batting position for Rohit Sharma in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series against Australia. Shastri believes that while KL Rahul should retain his place as opener, Rohit should adopt an aggressive mindset to make an impact at No.6. Rohit’s recent decision to bat lower in the order has not yielded the desired results, with scores of 10, 3, and 6 in his last three innings. The reshuffle came after KL Rahul’s impressive 77 in the second Test at Perth, which cemented his spot at the top. Shastri praised Rahul’s form and technique, suggesting he has entered a “purple patch” and should continue opening. “It could be a position [opening] he might just want to keep and enhance the way he’s playing because his technique was faultless,” Shastri remarked. Shifting focus to Rohit, Shastri emphasised the need for a tactical shift in the skipper’s approach at No.6.
Drawing parallels to his limited-overs success, Shastri encouraged Rohit to take the attack to the opposition. “Rohit should embrace his natural attacking game at No.6,” Shastri said. “If he gets away in the first 10-15 minutes, it can change the game for India. That number is crucial, and Rohit’s ability to counter-attack makes him dangerous.” Rohit’s history at No.6 offers promising context. He made his Test debut in 2013 in this position, scoring a century, and has accumulated 1037 runs in 25 innings at an impressive average of 54.57. However, the current series marks his first time batting at No.6 since 2018, as he had established himself as a Test opener in recent years. Shastri concluded by underlining the importance of intent and clarity for Rohit to rediscover his form. “The last thing you want is him being in two minds. His mindset should be to attack and dominate. That’s his best way of not just finding form but also winning games for India.” With two Tests remaining in the series, India will hope for a turnaround in form from their skipper as they aim to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.