Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has backed Rohit Sharma to go back to his usual opening position in the third Test match against Australia at Brisbane. Rohit batted at number six in the pink-ball Test match at Adelaide but returned with scores of 3 and 6.

The Indian skipper decided to bat in the middle order after KL Rahul returned with scores of 26 and 77 in the opening Test at Perth. However, Ponting noted that Rohit is India’s most experienced batter and he should bat at the top of the order.

“I felt that if (Rohit) Sharma was coming back into the side, he should have gone straight back up to the top and opened the batting.That’s how I felt about it. And I know that KL and Jaiswal had a 200-run partnership in Perth, and they played well, but he’s (Rohit) your captain. He’s one of your most experienced players,” Ponting said in the ICC Review.

“You want to be sending him out at the top in his normal role. So that’s something they might think about. They might think about Rohit going back to the top for Brisbane,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rohit has scored a solitary fifty in the last six Test matches and he hasn’t been at his best. Ponting said the Indian captain must be aware of his poor run of form.

“It’s like, you just know within yourself. You don’t need anybody to tell you if you’re making runs or not, or if you’re batting well or not. You know deep down inside as well,” Ponting said.

“Rohit had an extended break before that Test match, and it wasn’t the easiest wicket to bat on as well by the way, I think that needs to be said. Most guys struggled to make runs on that wicket.”

The third Test match between India and Australia will be played at the Gabba, Brisbane from December 14.