KL To Open, Rohit Sharma At No. 5? India's Team Sheet vs PM-XI Makes Startling Claim

Rohit Sharma is likely not to open against the Prime Minister's XI [Source: @sujeetsuman1991/X.com]

India’s eagerly awaited warm-up match against Australia’s Prime Minister’s XI began on December 1, Sunday. India won the toss and decided to bowl first after rain had washed out the first day of play. The weather was cloudy in Manuka Oval, Canberra, but the match started on time.

One surprising detail on the team sheet was that Indian captain Rohit Sharma was listed to bat at number 5. This raised questions about whether he will move to the middle order.

Why Is Rohit Sharma Listed At No. 5 in Warm-up Match?

A possible reason for this could be that India wants to keep KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal as openers. They performed well in Perth during Rohit Sharma’s absence in the first test. Rohit missed that match due to the birth of his second child, and Jasprit Bumrah captained in his place. Rahul and Jaiswal had an outstanding partnership, with Rahul scoring 77 runs from 176 balls. Together, they set a new record for the highest first-wicket partnership for India in Test cricket in Australia, with 201 runs.

However, it’s important to note that in warm-up matches, the batting order listed on the team sheet isn’t always followed strictly. A player may bat higher up the order, no matter where they’re listed.

The match is a 50-over per side contest, and India is looking to get used to the pink ball ahead of the day-night Test starting on December 6.

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