"That debate is settled"- Sunil Gavaskar on India's openers for remainder of BGT 2024-25

Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar felt the team's opening conundrum involving KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma has been settled in favor of the former for the rest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Rohit missed the series opener at Perth, resulting in Rahul opening with Yashasvi Jaiswal.

The duo stitched together a brilliant double-century stand in the second innings to help India pull off a 295-run win. However, even with Rohit returning for the second Test, India stuck with the Rahul-Jaiswal combination at the top.

While the duo did not perform as well in Adelaide, India still went with them in the ongoing Brisbane Test, with Rohit batting at No.6. Rahul repaid the trust with a potentially game-saving 84 off 139 deliveries in India's first innings at Brisbane.

Speaking to India Today after Day 4 of the third Test, Gavaskar felt Rahul had done enough to continue batting at the top ahead of Rohit.

"Yes, that debate is settled. With the way he's batted throughout these three Test matches, Rahul has to open. Rohit Sharma has not been in good form over the last four or five matches, not just these two matches yet, but over the last four or five matches, so it makes sense to go in with a batter who's in very good form," he said.

Rahul is India's leading run-scorer in the series with 231 runs at an average of 46.20, including two half-centuries. Meanwhile, Rohit has been in woeful form with 19 runs in three innings at an average of 6.33.

"I would like Rahul to take the first ball" - Sunil Gavaskar

Australia v India - Men's 2nd Test Match: Day 2 - Source: Getty

Sunil Gavaskar believed KL Rahul should face the first ball of the innings instead of his more aggressive opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Despite scoring a sensational 161 in the second innings of the first Test, Jaiswal has fallen in the first and second delivery of the innings in the first innings of the previous two Tests.

"The only thing is, unless it's a superstitious thing, I would like, maybe Rahul to take the first ball so that he just gives young Jaiswal a little time to settle at the other end because Jaiswal seems to be in a bit of a rush. When he comes there, he's pushing hard at the ball, and you know he got away with the streaky boundary of to get forward, and next body was out, so maybe just get him some time to settle at the non-striker end," said Gavaskar.

Meanwhile, India fought hard to avoid the follow-on on Day 4 of the ongoing Brisbane Test, reaching 252/9 in response to Australia's 445. Barring a miraculous finish, the five-match series looks poised to be 1-1 heading into the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.