The Indian cricket team is facing immense pressure at the iconic Gabba in Brisbane, where they are fighting to stay alive in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This marks India’s first visit to the Gabba since their unforgettable triumph in the 2020/21 series, a victory that had been hailed as one of the most remarkable achievements in Indian cricket history. However, things have drastically changed since then. Australia has dominated the first three days of this Test match, and India finds itself in a precarious situation. The hosts posted a commanding total of 445 runs in their first innings and then quickly dismantled India’s top order by claiming 4 wickets for just 51 runs, leaving India struggling to mount any serious resistance.
The pressure on the Indian team has escalated as they look to salvage the Test match and keep their hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship Final alive. On Day 3, India’s batters faced a difficult and stop-start period, with rain intervening and restricting play to just 17 overs. However, within that brief window, India’s top-order crumbled under the pressure. Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Yashasvi Jaiswal all played reckless shots and lost their wickets cheaply, leaving India’s position even more vulnerable. As Day 4 looms, all eyes are now on KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma, who survived the tough conditions on Day 3 and will carry the team's hopes forward. These two seasoned players are expected to play crucial roles if India is to avoid the follow-on and, more importantly, to attempt a remarkable turnaround.
India's situation is dire, and the responsibility falls heavily on the experienced opening duo. Both KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma face the immense challenge of not only saving the Test match but also laying the foundation for a potential Indian revival. The duo will have to hold their composure and bat with great discipline, ensuring that they do not lose their wickets to rash shots. The weight of expectations on them is enormous, especially considering that they are among the few remaining players with the experience to handle the situation. For Rohit Sharma, in particular, this could prove to be a make-or-break innings. Under intense criticism for his form since taking over as captain, this Test provides him with a chance to redeem himself and prove his mettle in challenging conditions.
Cheteshwar Pujara, speaking after Day 3 of the match, called for patience and composure from India’s batters. He emphasized that India needed to focus on playing one ball at a time, not getting ahead of themselves by thinking too much about the rain forecast or the looming follow-on. Pujara’s advice was clear: the batsmen needed to apply themselves, build partnerships, and grind through the difficult conditions. "Indian batters have to look to bat long. Australia will target the follow-on, but you can only avoid it when you focus on the present. There is a lot of rain expected in the last two days of the Test match, but there is no need to think about that. Just focus on your batting. Focus on how you play one ball, one session, and bat on the merit of the ball," Pujara said, highlighting the importance of playing with restraint and not being too defensive or overly aggressive.
Rohit Sharma’s best performances have often come when he adopts a more cautious and measured approach, particularly in Test cricket. Since the 2022 T20 World Cup, where he transformed his batting style to be more aggressive, there has been a growing expectation for him to carry that aggression into his Test game. However, India does not need an all-out attacking approach in these conditions. Instead, they require Rohit to revert to the style of play that made him one of India’s most consistent Test openers before he assumed the captaincy. The most memorable performances of Rohit’s career in red-ball cricket came during India’s 2021 series in England, where he and KL Rahul formed a formidable opening partnership. Together, they scored 783 runs across the four matches, with Rohit contributing 368 runs and Rahul adding 315.
Their ability to blunt the new ball and frustrate the opposition attack, especially in swinging conditions, was a major factor in India’s dominance. The strategy of playing the first 15-20 overs with caution and then accelerating as the ball lost its shine paid off brilliantly, with both openers going on to play defining knocks. India will need a similar approach from both Rohit and Rahul in Brisbane. The pair will need to see off the initial spells from Australia’s pace attack, which is firing on all cylinders, and look to capitalise once the ball loses its initial venom.
Rohit Sharma’s standout year in Test cricket came in 2021, when he scored a career-high 906 runs across 15 matches. In that series, his strike rate of 48.14 was a testament to his ability to absorb pressure, play long innings, and build partnerships. The key to his success in Test cricket has always been his patient approach to batting early on, which has helped him negotiate the new ball with ease. Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh also reiterated the importance of playing patiently in the first hour or so. He suggested that India’s batters needed to be particularly watchful at the start, as the ball would still be new and the pitch would offer bounce. "First thing that India have to do is bat watchfully in the first one, one and a half hours. The ball is new, there is bounce in the pitch. If the batters can play watchfully, then maybe the lower order can capitalise later. What I expect from KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma is that one of them hits a big hundred. They should draw lessons from the Travis Head and Steve Smith partnership," Harbhajan said, drawing attention to the value of patience and mental fortitude in such testing conditions.
This Test match represents a pivotal moment for India, and for Rohit Sharma, it could define his legacy as a captain. If Rohit and KL Rahul can survive the early storm and lay a solid foundation, India may have a chance to recover. Their partnership could be the key to pulling India out of a difficult position and possibly avoiding an early defeat. Much like Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin did in Sydney during the 2020/21 series, a determined stand from Rohit and Rahul could cement their place in Indian cricket history. A strong innings from these two would not only rescue India from this tough situation but also restore faith in their leadership and resolve. With all eyes on them, they will be expected to show the temperament and character that Indian cricket fans have come to admire in their past performances.
