Having already achieved success in white-ball cricket for India, Rohit Sharma was adamant on replicating it in Tests too and raised expectations with a superb 177 when batting at no. 6 on debut in 2013 .
However, his performances in Test cricket weren’t consistent enough as he batted in different positions in the middle order before finally being promoted to open the bat following which he sealed his spot.
Rohit has played 26 of his 53 Tests as an opener and has scored 2097 runs at that position while averaging 51.14 with seven centuries and a high score of 212.
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Overall, the current India Test captain has 3682 runs at 45.45 including 10 centuries and 16 half-centuries.
With India now gearing up to replace their ageing stalwarts with the next generation, the likes of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal have staked their respective claims for the top-order.
Gill, who started out as an opener, has been pushed to the No. 3 spot since the debut of Jaiswal on the West Indies tour last year while Rohit has continued to open.
Gill hasn’t had much success in Test cricket compared to what he has achieved in ODIs so far and questions are being asked why the youngster has dropped down to the no. 3 spot.
Rohit addressed the query ahead of the 2nd Test between India and South Africa, revealing it was Gill who himself wanted to bat at number 3 but feels there’s not much difference.
“To be honest, there is not much difference (between opening and number 3). It takes just one ball for a number 3 to go in. And sometimes when the opener gets injured in first innings, number 3 has to walk out and open the innings. So I don’t see much difference there. It’s a very individual thing,” Roht said on Tuesday.
“Gill is smart and understands his batting pretty well. Obviously, he prefers that number. He has batted in the Ranji Trophy at that number around that position a fair bit. He has opened in limited overs, Test cricket as well but that was was his preference. He feels he can do well for us batting at that position. It is an individual thing as to how you think about certain positions where you bat,” he added.
Rohit has also batted at number 3 in Test cricket and his stats – 107 runs at 21.40 in four Tests – give an indication he didn’t enjoy batting in that position.
“I personally hated batting at number 3. So that’s my opinion. Either you open the batting or you wait a little to go down the order to bat at number 5 or 6. Since I started opening, from no 3 onwards till number 7, I don’t think it is the right position for anyone,” Rohit quipped.
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