The 3-match ODI series between India and England continues to act as a preparatory series for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, with the hosts trying different combinations in the middle. One of the biggest decisions that the Gautam Gambhir-led team management has taken is promoting Axar Patel higher in the batting order, even ahead of KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja. Though Axar scored a half-century in the first ODI, the experiment doesn’t have everyone on board.
India’s top 4 is fixed in ODI cricket, with Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma the openers, following by Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer. After that, the management is open to experiments. Seeing Axar being promoted at the No. 4 spot, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra isn’t pleased.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “There is still one development that is taking place, but it is yet to be seen if the Indian team can find an answer to that. KL Rahul is batting at no. 6. But is he the best option at No. 6 or 7? That’s a big question. Ahead of him you send a leftie, and now Rahul hasn’t scored runs in both these games and in the two matches he played in Sri Lanka. What do you do now?”
Chopra isn’t happy seeing Hardik Pandya batting at the No. 7 spot too, with Jadeja coming in at No. 8. The situation has helped the Indian team play 8 players who can bat, but the former India cricketer feels many batters are playing out of position.
“Amid all these, if he bats at No. 6, Hardik bats at No. 7 and Jadeja at 8. I can still consider Jadeja at no. 8, but Hardik at 7? That is not what you want. He is batting at least two positions too low. I don’t feel it’s a good strategy. Is it time for Rishabh Pant to play already? He could be a better option at No. 6, because you already need a leftie. India are still looking for the right combination, and time is running out,” he added.
Earlier, even former India cricketer Dodda Ganesh lashed out at the team management’s experiments with the batting order. Ganesh felt it was wrong to promote Axar ahead of Rahul in the team.
Despite the experiments, India have gone on to clinch the 3-match series 2-0, with one game still to be played.
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