Rohit Sharma stamped his authority as an opener when he last turned for India in the Test whites, but the experienced right-hander remains flexible in his mind with regards to his spot for the upcoming Australia tour.

Before missing the series in New Zealand earlier this year with an injury, Rohit had relished the promotion at the top against South Africa in the home season. 

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But for an Indian touring side which might look to plug the major gap in the middle-order once skipper Virat Kohli leaves on paternity leave, he knows the team management may just reconsider bringing him back to where he originally started as a Test batsman. 

"I will tell you the same thing that I have told everyone all this while. I will be happy to bat wherever the team wants me to but I don’t know if they would change my role as an opener," Rohit told PTI. 

"I am sure the guys already in Australia must have figured out what are options when Virat leaves and who are the guys who will open the innings."

"Once I reach there, I will probably have a clearer idea of what’s going to happen. I will be okay to bat wherever they want," he added. 

Rohit is currently doing strength and conditioning work at the NCA in Bangalore for a hamstring injury picked up during the IPL 2020 in UAE and will be resting the white-ball leg of the Australian summer, beginning November 27. 

One of the finest players of the short-ball, Rohit also thinks there is too much made about the steep Australian bounce and it is something he and other touring Indian batsmen don't find that big a factor these days. 

"We talk about bounce but except for Perth, over the past few years, the other grounds (Adelaide, MCG, SCG), I don’t think have that much bounce," he said. "Nowadays, especially while opening the batting, I will have to think about not playing the cut or pull shots and focus on playing in the ‘V’ and as straight as possible."

"With the new ball, whoever bowls, whether it’s Starc, Cummins or Hazlewood, they will obviously pitch it up, swing the ball and the bouncer would be used sparingly."

"They would try to ensure with the new ball that they would get some movement off the air or off the pitch. With the new ball, everybody in the world loves to bowl up and send down one odd bouncer here and there. So the majority of the deliveries will be up and towards the bat and not short."

Rohit said Indian batsmen will take confidence from the historic Test series victory on the last trip and while keeping an eye on the Australian pace trio, will also look to maintain their guard facing off-spinner Nathan Lyon. 

"We talk about bounce on Australian tracks. But tell me how many people got out on bouncers during the last series?"

"When we played in Perth in 2018-19, it was Nathan Lyon, who got eight wickets including a five-for. In Australia, half the job is done if you can start well upfront," he said. 

The extremely challenging series which at the same time offers Rohit an opportunity to finally nail down his Test spot, he believes will test his basics a lot, making preparations all the more important. 

"It’s going to be challenging. In general, international cricket is never easy, whichever format it is. When you had such a long lay off (from international cricket), it becomes all the more difficult," Rohit said. 

"So, I would be focusing on basics of red-ball cricket and then you can top up with other things. That’s how I would like to take it forward. You can’t just jump the gun and think too far ahead."

“Once you have your basics strong, you can work around that and build your own technique. Mentally, that’s how you prepare," he added. 

Rohit, whose latest injury had given birth to a major controversy in Indian cricket, will be joining the squad on time to finish with his quarantine in the build-up to the warm-up games and then take part in the Test series starting December 17. 

"Mentally, I am prepared and I have had enough setbacks in my career where I have had long lay-offs due to injury and due to form. I know how to come back and bounce back from that."

"For me, being out for three, six or one month, really doesn’t matter. What matters to me is the process," he signed off.