Ravi Shastri calls for Indian batting order shake-up as Rohit Sharma's dreadful run continues

Indian legend Ravi Shastri has performed a U-turn on his stance towards Rohit Sharma, suggesting the captain should return to the top of the order.

Shastri's comments come just a over a week after he said on the ICC Review that India's openers should not change after the Perth Test.

Sharma missed the first Test and returned in Adelaide batting at number six.

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The right-hander performed poorly, scoring just three and six in his two innings.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul were equally as disappointing with neither opener failing to move past the 30s.

Shastri, who previously coached India, wants to see the skipper back at the top of the order.

"That's where he's been at his best over the last eight or nine years," Shastri was quoted in The Sydney Morning Herald.

"It's not that he's going to set the world on fire – he could – but that's the place that's best for him. To lead from the front.

"If he has to do damage, if he has to throw the first punch, that's the best place from where he can do it. And it is important that India get their judgment right here, because 1-1 in the series, this is the moving Test match.

"I feel whichever team wins this Test match will win the series. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind. So it is very, very important that India get the balance right, because Australia have got the confidence back."

Sharma is currently in a significant form slump, having hit 597 runs in 23 innings' this year at 27.13.

The 37-year-old has hit two centuries during that time but has struggled for consistency and in his past 12 efforts he's only passed 50 once.