The Indian cricket team suffered a humiliating defeat in the second Test against Australia. Under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, Team India had previously lost three consecutive Test matches at home against New Zealand. Now, with Rohit Sharma back in action in Australia, the losing streak has resumed. After winning the first Test and gaining a lead in the series, India has now lost that advantage, bringing the series to level terms. The outcome of the remaining three matches will be highly intriguing to watch. However, it seems almost certain that significant changes will be seen in the team for the third Test.
Rohit Sharma’s Move to the Middle Order Didn’t Work
Rohit Sharma made his return to the Test series against Australia, but it hasn’t turned out well. Before this match, Rohit made a bold decision to bat in the middle order. The opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, which was retained from the first Test, failed to deliver in either innings of this match, becoming a major reason for India’s defeat. Additionally, Rohit Sharma’s performance in the middle order was also underwhelming.
The idea behind Rohit moving down the order was to strengthen the middle order, but this backfired. Rohit managed only 3 runs in the first innings and 6 in the second. Perhaps, if Rohit had opened the innings, he might have performed better. It is now expected that Rohit will return to his regular opening role in the third Test.
Harshit Rana Could Be Replaced by Prasidh Krishna
When the team wins, certain weak links often go unnoticed, but a loss highlights them. Harshit Rana turned out to be a weak point for India in this match. He failed to pick up a single wicket and leaked runs excessively. In the first innings, he bowled 16 overs, conceding 86 runs at an economy rate of 5.67, which is very high for Test cricket. In the second innings, where Australia had a small target to chase, captain Rohit Sharma didn’t even give Rana the ball.
It seems likely that Harshit Rana will be dropped for the third Test, with Prasidh Krishna, who has been on the bench for the first two matches, taking his place.
The Third Test Is Crucial for Team India
The third Test of the India-Australia series will be played at the Gabba. While the Indian team famously defeated Australia at the Gabba on their previous tour, expecting a repeat of that performance might be unrealistic. The upcoming Test will be a do-or-die match for India, as a loss could jeopardize their chances of making it to the World Test Championship final and also put the series at risk.
Australia, having made a strong comeback after losing the first Test at home, now looks even more dangerous. Stopping them at this stage seems almost impossible. However, all eyes will be on how Rohit Sharma’s team performs under pressure in the third Test.