KL Rahul Was Forced to Bat at No.3 to Make Way for Rohit Sharma? Report Reveals

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The Indian cricket team's selection and batting order decisions ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne have come under scrutiny following reports of discord within the camp. According to CricBlogger, KL Rahul was initially hesitant to bat at No.3, preferring his role as an opener.

However, team management reportedly issued him an ultimatum: either adapt to the one-down position or risk being replaced by Shubman Gill. "In the process, Gill was dropped. He could make a comeback soon." said a BCCI source from Mumbai to CricBlogger.

"However, just to accommodate a batter who can bowl, all these arrangements were carried out," the BCCI source revealed further. The reshuffling aimed to maintain a balanced lineup while keeping Rohit Sharma as an opener alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Post the match, Rohit addressed the exclusion of Gill, stating it was part of a broader strategy to strengthen the bowling department. "We wanted more bowlers in the playing XI. That's why Washington Sundar was selected," said Rohit Sharma as an explanation.

He gave that to be the reason for KL Rahul to baat at number three. He added, "Shubman Gill was not out of the XI; we were just exploring different combinations," Rohit explained. He added that the objective was to provide depth in both batting and bowling, ensuring the team could take 20 wickets.

On-Field Struggles

Unfortunately, these changes failed to deliver results as India suffered a heavy defeat by 184 runs. Rohit's poor run of form continued, managing only 12 runs in the match and taking his series tally to 31 runs across three games.

His struggles against Pat Cummins, who has dismissed him six times in Tests. Yashasvi Jaiswal, however, stood out in the series, scoring 359 runs in eight innings. KL Rahul contributed 259 runs but faced criticism for his inconsistency.

With one Test remaining in Sydney, questions loom over India's lineup and Rohit's role in the team. The experimentation in the batting order has sparked debates over team management's decisions, as India continues to search for a stable combination.