The stage is set for a thrilling five-match Test series between India and England, kicking off on June 20. However, the Indian team will be without two of its key players, Rohit Sharma and a number four batsman, who have recently announced their retirement from Test cricket. This has sparked a heated debate about the team’s batting order.
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has weighed in on the discussion, predicting that new Indian captain Shubman Gill could bat at number three or four. Pietersen also thinks that KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal could form a potent opening pair. In his predicted playing eleven, Pietersen has included both Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair, and suggested that the Indian team management might consider playing an extra batsman in English conditions.
When asked about the Indian batting order, Pietersen said, “Shubman can bat wherever he feels comfortable, maybe at three or four. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal can open, and I’ve got Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in my top five. You might need another batsman at six. I think you’ll need an extra batsman in England. After that, Rishabh Pant can bat at seven, followed by four fast bowlers and a spinner.”
The Indian squad for the series includes Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain and wicketkeeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Rana, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Aakarsh Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Some possible batting orders for the Indian team could be:
- KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal as openers
- Shubman Gill at number three or four
- Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in the middle order
- Rishabh Pant at number seven
The Indian team management will have to make some tough decisions to finalize their batting order, but one thing is certain – the series against England is going to be a thrilling one.