as soon as he joined team india rohit was made rahanes deputy for the final two tests vs australia however the dilemma over whether he should open or bat at no 5 at scg remainsmumbai the bcci on its twitter handle shared a video of rohit sharma joining the team at melbourne after flying from sydney on wednesday where he underwent a hard quarantine period of two weeks since arriving in australia the warmth among his colleagues was palpable and even a buoyant ravi shastri could be seen and heard quipping how was quarantine my friend youre looking younger and on the first day of 2021 on friday he was anointed vicecaptain of the indian team for the last two tests of the ongoing series against australiahaving finally found his mojo in test cricket by relaunching his career as an opener in 2019 the mumbaikar slammed 529 runs in three tests13225 plundering three hundreds with a highest score of 212 against south africa in whiteball cricket he has already carved a reputation as a feared opener one among the best if not the best currentlyhis inclusion in the indian lineup in the series which is locked 11 with the wounded aussies waiting to bounce back in the third test at sydney from january 7 could be a doubleedged sword though having been out of action due to a hamstring injury theres a fear that 33yearmay be undercookedone should also consider that before his reboot as a test opener rohit was struggling to cement his place in redball cricket and much had to do with his performance outside india where he has scored 816 runs in 18 tests2632 without a hundred all his six test hundreds have come at home where he averages a healthy 4654 in 32 testsin australia rohit has played five tests in which hes scored 279 runs with his highest score being 63 not out for all his success as a limited overs batsman down under his average in tests is a modest 3100having missed the twotest series in new zealand earlier this year due to a hamstring injury rohit is yet to open in a test outside asia it means we still dont know how good or bad he is as a test opener in bowlerfriendly conditions the question is should he open where he can replace an outofform mayank agarwal 31 runs in two tests775 or bat at no 5 where hanuma vihari 45 runs1500 hasnt been in great touch toofor former india offspinner sarandeep singh who was part of the selection panel which picked the team for the australia tour the question is a nobrainer rohit has excelled as an opener till now in all formats you cant suddenly push him down the order at no 5 like this it would reflect chaotic thinking from the team management asserted sarandeep if mayank comes back after being dropped will you play him in the middleorder an opener stays an opener sarandeep saidformer india pacer ajit