In 24 Check innings to date, Rohit Sharma has made 607 runs at a mean of simply 26.39, which is the lowest-ever for him in a calendar yr (min 350 runs scored).
Let’s face it. Indian cricket is obsessed with sticking to its stars even if the stars stop shining. And as much as we all love “The Hitman,” Rohit Sharma, it’s hard to ignore the elephant in the room: his form in Test cricket has nosedived. Having done well as an opener in a specific period, Rohit’s move to go down at number six has failed miserably in the ongoing IND vs AUS BGT Test series. In a high-stakes series like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where every run and every decision matters, isn’t it time we ask some tough questions?
Rohit Sharma’s middle-order experiment hasn’t worked
Rohit Sharma’s return to the middle order after six years has been a textbook case of bad timing. Scores of 3, 6, and 10 in the first three innings of the series don’t just reflect a bad patch—they scream that the experiment has failed.
The decision to demote Rohit and let KL Rahul open with Yashasvi Jaiswal might have been well-intentioned, but it has inadvertently turned the middle order into a liability. Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, two young and in-form batters who are tailor-made for such roles, are warming the bench.
The numbers don’t lie. Rohit Sharma has amassed only 153 runs in 13 innings in the latter half of 2024. For a player of his caliber, these stats are shockingly subpar. His struggles began in the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand and have only worsened on the bouncy tracks Down Under.
On the flip side, KL Rahul has thrived at the top, scoring 235 runs in six innings in this series, including a couple of match-winning fifties. Clearly, the team management got one thing right by solidifying the opening pair. But it’s the middle order where Rohit’s presence seems out of place.
Dhruv Jurel deserves a chance
Dhruv Jurel, the promising keeper-batter, has been nothing short of spectacular in red-ball cricket. On the day when Team India faced a horrible whitewash defeat to New Zealand at home, the BCCI made a great decision to include Jurel and Rahul in the India A team for their second unofficial Test against Australia A. Jurel showed why is one of the best red-ball talents. He scored two gritty half-centuries (80 and 68) after coming into the crease when the score read 11/4 and 44/4.
In his three Test appearances for India, he has amassed 190 runs across four innings, boasting an impressive average of 63.33, with a top score of 90. His 90 against England in Rajkot worth their weight more than a hundred because the hosts were 177/7 at one point. From there on, Jurel single-handedly took the total to 307.
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Sarfaraz Khan: Domestic run-machine also needs to be tested
Let’s not forget Sarfaraz Khan, the man who knocked out the entire selection door. With truckloads of runs in the domestic circuit and an insatiable hunger for big scores, Sarfaraz has shown that he’s more than ready for the international stage.
Yes, Sarfaraz’s technical abilities are always questioned to play at difficult Australian conditions. But, as long as he doesn’t play, nobody really knows. The likes of Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal also received some flak before their stints during 2020/21 BGT but the duo went on to put up some vital contributions to India’s historic triumph. In just 6 Tests so far, Sarfaraz has made 371 runs at an average of 37.10, starting his international career with twin half-centuries.
Rohit Sharma to be axed?
With the Boxing Day Test being a must-win, India need to make some tough decisions. It is almost a do-or-die affair as far as the World Test Championship (WTC) Final spot is concerned as well. Dropping a senior player like Rohit Sharma might be controversial, but isn’t it better to take a bold step now than to regret later? Just look at his ICC Test batting rankings, which plummeted to 6 in September to a low 31 just three months later.
The management should consider bringing in Dhruv Jurel at number six and giving Sarfaraz Khan a shot if the team composition allows. Both players have the form and temperament to turn the tide in India’s favour. Rohit Sharma is a legend of Indian cricket, and there’s no denying his contributions in white-ball formats. But even the best players need to recognise when to step aside for the greater good of the team.
Rohit Sharma’s regression after every Test
| Test Match | Rohit’s Batting Average |
| After 5th Test v ENG | 45.46 |
| After 1st Test v BAN | 44.6 |
| After 2nd Test v BAN | 43.98 |
| After 1st Test v NZ | 43.63 |
| After 2nd Test v NZ | 42.83 |
| After 3rd Test v NZ | 42.27 |
| After 2nd Test v AUS | 41.54 |
| After 3rd Test v AUS | 41.24 |
- Rohit Sharma’s last 13 Test innings scores: 6, 5, 23, 8, 2, 52, 0, 8, 18, 11, 3, 6, 10 – Average of 11.69.
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