Go in with a clear mindset, change tactics and attack the bowlers. That's what Rohit Sharma should look to do in the remaining two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, feels Ravi Shastri.

The India captain missed the opening Test in Perth to be with his family for the birth of his second child. But after joining the squad, he had to bat lower down the order at No.6 from the second Test onwards as KL Rahul made use of the opportunity to open in Perth with an impressive 77 in the second innings.

That rejig in the batting order with Rohit going down the order at No.6 hasn't worked either for the skipper or the team. In three innings so far at that position, Rohit aggregates just 19, looking out of sorts on all occasions.

"I would like to see Rohit's tactics change a bit because he can still be extremely dangerous at that number (six)," Shastri said on ICC Review.

"I think he's got to be very clear in his mindset to go out there and take the attack to the opposition and not worry about anything else," the former India coach stressed.

Shastri felt Rohit should shun the defensive mindset. "The last thing you want is him to be in two minds whether to defend or attack. In his case, it should be about looking to attack.

"He picks up lengths quickly, so he should take the opposition on at that number. Because, if he gets away in the first 10-15 minutes — in any way, he has not got past that 15-20 minutes or half an hour — he can make it count.

"So, why can't he play his natural game, go and take the attack to the opposition and take it from there?" Shastri explained.

Shastri felt that's the best way for Rohit to regain form and win games for India, adding that the best No.6 batters in the world are those who have the ability to counterattack. "I think that is his best way of not just coming back into form, but winning a game for India as well. Because that number is a crucial one.

"The best No.6s in the world are the guys who know how to have the ability to counterattack. They read the situation well. Yes, if a lot of wickets have fallen, maybe for a little while, you might have to be circumspect. But the intent has to be far sooner than later.

"Especially, when you have that kind of ability and especially when you open the batting for India and you have all the shots for Australian conditions."

Rohit, in fact, had made his Test debut in 2013 batting at No.6, marking the occasion with a century.

Shastri, however, backed Rahul to retain the opener's slot in the fourth Test following his two half-centuries so far in the five-Test series.

"I would have asked him (Rohit) to open in the last Test match (in Brisbane), but then, the way Rahul has batted, he was a joy to watch and the way he's batting, it seems he has struck a purple patch," Shastri said.

"It could be a position he might just want to keep and enhance the way he's playing because his technique was faultless," Shastri added.