Captain Rohit Sharma's century before the Champions Trophy has given a big relief to the Indian team management. Despite this, the confusion regarding the batting combination of the Indian team remains. This is the situation when the Indian team has only one match left against England on February 12 to test the preparations for the Champions Trophy. KL Rahul coming in at number six and Rishabh Pant not being tried till now is complicating the equations.

Rahul has been sent to bat after Axar Patel in both matches. He has not been able to do justice to the number six position. This is the position where Pant could have proved more useful than him due to his X factor. At the same time, Virat Kohli's return to ODIs after six months was not good. He could score only five runs in the second ODI. He was included in the team in place of Yashasvi Jaiswal. On the other hand, Arshdeep Singh has not been tried in bowling yet.

Questions raised on Rahul coming after Axar

During commentary in the second ODI in Cuttack, Ravi Shastri also could not stop himself from expressing his feelings on sending a top order specialist batsman like Rahul at number six. Axar was sent at number five in the first two matches. If the management is adamant on the formula of left and right-hand batting combination to send Axar above Rahul, then what will happen to an explosive player like Pant? Although Axar scored 52 and 41 not out in the first two matches, he came to bat at a time when India was moving towards victory. Shastri had said during commentary India must be thinking about the team combination in the next match and Champions Trophy, and Rishabh Pant is sitting on the bench. Some questions will have to be answered for this.

Pant has scored 871 runs in 31 ODIs at an average of a little over 33, which are not very good figures, but the parameters of cricket have changed in the last few years. It also has to be seen what kind of impact a player can have at any stage of the game. Rahul is being seen as a player who will come to bat after the 30th or 35th over in ODIs, so there is every possibility that Pant can have more impact than him.

Number six does not suit Rahul's playing style.
Indian bowlers have not given England any chance in both the ODIs, but Rahul, who scored more than 500 runs at number five in the 2023 ODI World Cup, is coming to bat in a situation that does not suit his playing style. A former Indian player who has closely watched Gambhir's strategies says that Gautam always looks at the needs of the team, and he finds Rahul suitable at number six, as it helps him maintain the combination of left-right hand batsmen. Akshar has scored runs at number five, and this has put Pant in a difficult situation.

PC Social media