Sanjay Manjrekar passes cold-blooded verdict on Rohit Sharma's place in India vs Australia Tests

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said that Rohit Sharma will not open for India in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT 2024-25). Sanjay Manjrekar said that the team management will retain the opening partnership of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, despite Rohit Sharma's return.

Rohit missed the opening Test of the series against Australia due to the birth of his second child. It forced KL Rahul to open the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. Rohit batted at No. 4 in a recent practice match against the Australian Prime Minister's XI while Rahul and Jaiswal continued as the opening pair.

For Me, It's A Clear Indication - Sanjay Manjrekar

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Sanjay Manjrekar said that it's clear Rohit Sharma will not open in the second Test. He said that the team will stick with the successful opening partnership of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who performed well in the second innings of the first Test.

"Yes, for me it's a clear indication. I thought of maybe a few other things why they would do that. But this is, I think, as clear as it gets that just like we were all contemplating and wondering whether the very, very successful opening pair that we had in the second innings of the last match to be dismantled considering it made such an important contribution. So yeah, a very clear indication," Manjrekar said.

Rohit Sharma Batted in Middle Order in Warm-up Match Against Australia PM XI

Rahul and Jaiswal added a modest five-run stand in the first innings. However, they added India's first-ever 200-run opening partnership in Australia during the second innings. Their 201-run stand helped Team India set Australia a challenging target of 534. India secured a dominant 295-run victory.

Rohit Sharma and Jaiswal have been a strong opening pair in recent Tests, but Rahul's impressive performance at the top has created a dilemma for India ahead of the second Test.

Team Management Is Thinking Cricket Logic And Current Form - Sanjay Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar stated that the team management will go with common sense and current form while picking the opening pair for the upcoming match. Manjrekar added that the team management will stick with the Rahul-Jaiswal pair after their 200-plus partnership in the recent match.

"Just imagine the first-ever 200-plus partnership for the opening wicket in Australia, and we saw the result as well. So, I doubt whether this team management is thinking cricket logic and current form. They’ll use common sense, and in the current reality, Rohit, who could himself volunteer, is the right move to make the most of what you've gained," Majrekar said.

Rohit Sharma will lead the Indian team in the second Test match, which will take place at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide from Friday, December 6. The match will be played with a pink ball in day-night conditions. India leads the five-match Test series 1-0.

Also read: Rohit Sharma officially demoted in India's batting order days ahead of Adelaide Test