India vs Australia: Ricky Ponting wants Rohit Sharma to have an early go

Bengaluru, December 19: Australian great Ricky Ponting called for the inclusion of Rohit Sharma as an opener at the earliest, after the Indian team's embarrassing defeat to Australia in the opening Test of the four-match series at Adelaide.

India were bowled out for their lowest ever Test score of 36 as Australia took a 1-0 lead with an eight-wicket win in the pink ball Test at the Adelaide Oval.

Indian openers Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal looked clueless against the Australian attack in both the innings.

"He (Rohit) will definitely play. He is a better Test player than Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw. If he's fit then he'll straightaway slot at the top of the order," Ponting was quoted as saying by Channel 7.

Rohit had travelled to Australia having got the clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru after missing the entire limited overs leg of the tour and the first Day/Night Test.

Rohit to join Team India in Australia, to undergo endurance training while in quarantine

Provided he is declared fit by the team's medical staff, Rohit could be back for the third and fourth Test.

Indian batting great Sunil Gavaskar is also certain that Rohit is gearing up to play in the last two Tests. "Yes, yes, he's definitely going to play in this Test series. He's already in Australia as far as I know and he might not be playing the second Test but he'll be there for the third and the fourth," Gavaskar told the same channel when asked about the dashing opener.

India vs Australia: Gavaskar defends batsmen

The trio of Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc produced a sensational performance as the visitors collapsed to their lowest Test score of 36. India's earlier lowest score was 42 against England at the Lord's in 1974 and Gavaskar was a part of that team.

With Kohli having availed paternity leave, his deputy Ajinkya Rahane will lead the side for the remaining three matches of the four-match series.

(With PTI inputs)