Last week, during India’s preparation exercise in Bangalore, Rahul Dravid invited the team over to his residence for supper. That evening, the players exited the elevator and gathered with the chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, and other support personnel. Ishan Kishan was the most jovial of the group, breaking quips and generally being in a good mood. Ishan is experiencing a favorable period of life. Three consecutive half-centuries against the West Indies, combined with injuries to leading contenders, have given him a shot at a middle-order berth in the World Cup. India will test him at No.4 or No.5 against Pakistan and Nepal during the Asia Cup.
With KL Rahul, who is recuperating from a groin strain, ruled out of the group stages of the Asia Cup, the latest experiment by India’s team management would be to bat Ishan Kishan in the middle order. Though Sanju Samson has traveled with the team as a reserve for Rahul, his prospects of making the World Cup squad — which will be announced on September 5 — are slim, and the team management intends to test Kishan at No. 4 or 5.
Due to the absence of Shikhar Dhawan from the team’s plans since last December and the fact that Kishan, who is predominantly an opener, scored a double century against Bangladesh, he secured his position as the third-best opener. With India’s middle-order composition uncertain and the top three of Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli appearing to be set, the middle-order composition has remained uncertain, particularly in Rahul’s absence. Especially since Shreyas Iyer, who consistently performed well at No. 4, sustained an injury. Especially after Suryakumar Yadav failed to shine in that position.
While featuring Samson would continue to provide them with the flexibility that Rohit mentioned in the press conference following the announcement of the Asia Cup, it is understood that the team management does not wish to introduce more complications so close to the World Cup. With Kishan’s position secured, reintroducing Samson so close to the World Cup will create a new problem. In previous weeks, when Rahul’s availability was a major concern, the team management actively contemplated rearranging the top three, with Rohit or Kohli batting at number four.
However, after a week-long exercise at the KSCA’s Alur facilities on the periphery of Bangalore, India’s think tank has decided not to breach into the top three. The Indian Express has learned that Rohit was opposed to the top three batsmen batting out of position because they provided stability at the top. As Kishan is not a first-choice player in the XI, the team management has decided to test him out in the middle order, as his left-handedness would add a unique element.
Kishan’s batting average in the middle order (at No. 4) is only 22.75, and he has a propensity to struggle against spinners when he opens his innings. Kishan will be one of the two reserve batsmen in the roster, with Suryakumar Yadav likely being the other.
World Cup squad nomination
It is believed that the senior national selection committee will choose India’s World Cup squad on September 5, a day after India’s group match against Nepal. The participating teams are required to send over the personnel list to the ICC on September 5, and it appears that the meeting will take place in Kandy, with Ajit Agarkar accompanying the team on Thursday.
Although India arrived in Kandy on Wednesday, they did not have a training exercise on Thursday, and their next training session is scheduled for Friday evening. With forecasts of moderate to severe rainfall for the next three days, the India versus Pakistan match is fraught with uncertainty. On Thursday, however, despite dense clouds lingering over the stadium during Sri Lanka’s game against Bangladesh, there was no rain other than a powerful rainfall that lasted a few minutes.
Having selected a 17-member squad for the Asia Cup, India must now reduce the roster to 15, with Tilak Varma and one of the seam bowling options expected to be cut. Due to India’s dearth of batting depth, the final pace bowling position is likely to be a coin flip between Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna. The team management believes Thakur’s batting will be required at some point, despite the fact that the latter can be used as an offensive option in the middle overs. Pakistan recently defeated Afghanistan in the final over due to exploits from their bowlers, whereas India lacks this privilege in white-ball cricket.
Jay Shah, secretary of the BCCI, is also anticipated to arrive in the mountainous topography on Friday, prior to India’s match against Pakistan on Saturday, and is likely to remain for the selection of the squad.
