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No Rohit Sharma As India Opener; Ex-BGT Star Suggests Bold Change In XI For Adelaide Test

Debashis Sarangi

Rohit Sharma will return to India playing XI [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/X]Rohit Sharma will return to India playing XI [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/X]

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Former Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara has urged the visitors to keep their opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul intact for the second Test of the ongoing five-match series against Australia. Led by Rohit Sharma, India will face the Aussies in the second game of the series starting on December 6. 

Rohit, who missed the first Test due to personal reasons, is all set to return and open the batting for the visiting side. However, Cheteshwar Pujara believes India shouldn't change their opening combination of Rahul and Jaiswal, which worked wonders for them in the Perth Test. 

Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Pujara reckoned that Rohit can be slotted at number three, with India's first-choice number three batter Shubman Gill dropping down the batting order. 

"I think, for some reason if we can carry on with the same batting order, like KL and Yashasvi to open, Rohit could come in at three, and Shubman could come in at five," Pujara told ESPN Cricinfo.

However, the gritty top-order batter maintained that if Rohit comes out to bat as an opener, KL Rahul should be India's first-choice number three due to his stoic technique. 

"If Rohit wants to open, KL should bat at No. 3. Nothing later than that. I think he has to bat top of the order, because it suits his game really well. I hope we don't tinker around with that," he added. 

Pujara Suggests Ideal Batting Position For Shubman Gill

Meanwhile, Pujara thinks that Shubman Gill is better suited to the number five position as it allows him to play his natural game against the old Kookaburra ball that rarely does anything in the air and off the pitch. 

"Ideally No. 5 (for Gill). Because it allows him to come in at a time, even if we lose two wickets early, he is someone who can negotiate the new ball. But if he walks in after, say, 25 or 30 overs, he can play his shots. He can play his natural game. And in case we lose the first three wickets early, Gill walks in and saves Rishabh Pant for the old ball," Pujara added. 

India To Face Prime Minister's XI In Warm-Up Game

The Indian team is preparing to face Australia Prime Minister's XI in a two-match warm-up game starting tomorrow. The game, which will be played at Manuka Oval in Canberra, gives the visitors a golden opportunity to hone their skills against the pink ball before taking on the Aussies in the Day-Night Test in Adelaide.