Sun Dec 08 04:28:38 UTC 2024: ## India’s Middle-Order Reshuffle Starts Poorly as Rohit Sharma Falls for 3
**Melbourne, Australia** – India’s bold decision to shift captain Rohit Sharma to the middle order backfired spectacularly on day one of the second Test against Australia. Sharma, returning after missing the first Test due to the birth of his second child, lasted a mere 23 balls, scoring only 3 runs before being bowled by Scott Boland.
The dismissal, which came in the third over after lunch, highlighted a familiar weakness in Sharma’s game. Boland’s delivery, a sharply in-swinging good length ball, found Sharma rooted to the crease with minimal foot movement, leaving him trapped lbw. Despite consulting with Rishabh Pant, Sharma opted against a DRS review, a decision that proved correct as the impact was deemed umpire’s call.
Sharma’s move to the middle order, sacrificing his opening position to the in-form KL Rahul, was intended to strengthen India’s batting depth. While praised by fans and experts, the strategy received a harsh reality check with Sharma’s early dismissal. Former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, while commenting on the innings, criticized Sharma’s footwork.
The Indian batting lineup struggled throughout the day. Yashasvi Jaiswal was out for a duck, KL Rahul scored 37, and Virat Kohli managed only 7 runs. Shubman Gill’s 31 was also cut short by Boland before the break. Mitchell Starc proved a significant threat, taking three wickets for 31 runs.
India made three changes to their team, bringing back Sharma, Gill, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, and Washington Sundar were dropped to make way for the returning players. The day ended with India’s batting order in disarray and their new middle-order strategy facing early scrutiny.
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