Rohit Sharma's Dominant Play Against Nathan Lyon Cements India Captain's Shift in Batting Position

Former Australian cricketers Michael Clarke and Aaron Finch seem to favor the inclusion of Rohit Sharma in the team. Clarke, who led Australia to victory in the 2015 World Cup, believes that having Rohit bat at No. 5 would make him even more dangerous against both fast bowlers and spinners. Additionally, Finch pointed out that the pink ball tends to behave unpredictably under lights, which could work in Rohit's favor given his aggressive batting style. This could potentially pose challenges for the Australian team.

"I think he will bat at No. 5 in the Test match. They'll leave KL Rahul up at the top. Shubman Gill looks fit as well; he made some runs, so he will come back in at No. 3. Virat 4, and I think the skipper will bat 5. If he wants to open, he opens; if he wants to bat 5, he'll bat five. It's his role to work out what's best for the team and go with that," Clarke said on 'Around the Wicket' podcast.

"In Australian conditions, I can understand if he does bat five, now that KL Rahul looked good in the first Test. He is extremely aggressive, takes on the short ball, dominates spin bowling, and will look to be ultra-aggressive to Nathan Lyon through the middle of the innings. So yeah, if he chooses to bat 5, I can see why."

Clarke's sentiments were echoed by Finch, who too feels Rohit at five is a great bet for India. Before being promoted as India's Test opener in 2019 after a wonderful World Cup, Rohit had mostly batted at either five or six in the first half of his career. In 10 matches batting at five, Rohit has scored 427 runs at an average of 29. At six, his returns are much better – 1037 runs at an average of 54.57, including three centuries. Come Adelaide, if Rohit bats at either of these two positions, Finch reckons it'll be a scary proposition for Australia.

"If he bats at five, with the ball getting a little bit softer, it can be hard to score. But India are so aggressive through that middle order. It will be a fascinating watch because that team looks a lot better with Rohit at 5, in my opinion. KL Rahul looked the best of the Indian batters in really difficult conditions, particularly in the first innings, so they'll leave him at the top," said Finch.