Fri Jan 03 00:00:00 UTC 2025: ## India’s Top Order Crumbles in Sydney Despite Rohit Sharma’s Absence
**Sydney, Australia** – India’s hopes of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy suffered a major setback on day one of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney. Despite a controversial decision to drop captain Rohit Sharma, India’s top order collapsed spectacularly before lunch, losing three wickets for a paltry score.
The decision to bench Rohit, a move criticized by many, backfired spectacularly. KL Rahul, promoted to open in his place, fell early, chipping a simple catch to Mitchell Starc. Yashasvi Jaiswal, India’s leading run-scorer in the series, followed swiftly, edging a beauty from Scott Boland. Virat Kohli survived a close caught-behind appeal, only for the third umpire to overturn the decision after determining the ball had bounced.
Shubman Gill, playing in place of Rohit Sharma, added to the woes when he too was dismissed just before the lunch break. This left India reeling at a precarious position, despite a temporary recovery by Kohli and Gill.
The early wickets have reignited the debate surrounding Rohit Sharma’s omission. Social media is abuzz with reactions, with many fans criticizing the team management’s decision and questioning the strategy behind dropping the captain.
India’s challenge is immense. They need a win in Sydney to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and secure a place in the World Test Championship final. The team’s performance in the first session casts a long shadow over their prospects.
First Piper 