Former Indian pacer Ajit Agarkar has a suggestion for the Indian cricket team ahead of the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, given the recent dismal show of the Men in Blue in South Africa.
He believes that Team India must decide whether KL Rahul will open the batting for the side or play in middle-order in the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies, starting on February 6 in Ahmedabad.
India and West Indies are set to play three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on February 6, 9, and 11 followed by the T20I series on February 16, 18, and 20 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Agarkar on Star Sports Show Game Plan: “I think that's the first thing they need to decide, whether he is an opener or a middle-order batsman because he was the captain in South Africa and he opened, which to me it was a bit disappointing because he's been so successful at number 4 or 5 and that's the role that they were looking at.”
He further explained, “If that is not going to be the case then again you have got to stick to what you decide if you are going to be an opener then you may as well open the innings with Rohit in the series. So, that will be interesting to see because Shikhar Dhawan is there as well, I am not sure in a year or year and a half's time where Shikhar Dhawan would be, even though he has got runs in South Africa.”
Since the Indian team has a lot of options to try at the top of the order, Agarkar said that there is no guarantee whether Rahul opening the batting will work for the ODI side in the future.
He added, “You have got a couple of explosive players like Ishan Kishan or even someone like Rishabh Pant. Who knows whether it will work, giving him a chance for the top of the order.”
Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra spoke about the challenges India can face while picking a spin attack in the upcoming West Indies series, having picked a number of spinners in the squad including the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Akshar Patel, and Ravi Bishnoi.
Chopra said on the show, “They should be otherwise they wouldn't have picked Kuldeep Yadav, he was on hold for the last, not last 6 months he's been in hold forever since that Birmingham game, where he's got turned around and then he never got an opportunity.”
The commentator further explained, “They have got him back for a simple reason, that is they are not picking up wickets in the middle overs. R Ashwin whether he was available or not, I would've anyway gone with Kuldeep Yadav but we also picked Ravi Bishnoi.”
He concluded, “We picked him for both ODI and T20 and since they don't want to try him then there is Washington Sundar as well and Ravindra Jadeja and Akshar Patel are actually waiting in the wing. So, once you pick so many bowlers then your hands are tied pretty much, who do you go with?”
(With ANI Inputs)
