India captain Rohit Sharma has suffered severe criticism for his decision to promote himself over the in-form KL Rahul in the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India.
Rohit, who missed the first Test due to the birth of his child, and saw his opening spot being taken up by KL Rahul, returned to bat at No.6 in the next two Tests at Brisbane and Adelaide. The return to a middle-order role did not work out well, as he managed scores of 3, 6 and 10. With India excluding Shubman Gill from the playing XI, one of KL or Rohit was set to occupy the No.3 spot.
KL has been India's top-scorer in the series so far, and has looked suited to the opener's role, facing 512 deliveries, comfortably the most by anyone from the team. However, he was displaced from his spot, with the out-of-form Rohit, who averages 25.41 in Tests this year, taking up the opener's spot again.
He lasted just five balls, undone by a Pat Cummins delivery that was short and wide, leaving him in a tangle. He managed to jab it in the air, getting a top edge that easily settled into the hands of mid-on.
